The Phantom of the Opera From the Beginning
by shazeroon25
Summary: Basically a retelling of the Phantom of the Opera story, in my own words, with my own added bits. Hope you enjoy
1. Chapter 1

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – FROM THE BEGINNING

**PART 1 - LEFT ALONE IN THE WORLD**

The room was deadly silent as Christine strained her eyes to look around her in the darkness. She could just make out Meg's face, in the bed next to hers, she seemed to be in a contented sleep, smiling to herself. She looked like a little porcelain doll with her beautiful blonde hair strewn like a halo around her head on the pillow.

"I wish I had hair like that" Christine whispered with wonder to herself as she quietly got out of her bed and tiptoed to the dormitory door. As usual, midnight was the time when she would carry out her nightly ritual of praying for her late father.

Slipping silently out into the corridor, Christine breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn't been caught. Madame Giry, the ballet mistress and Meg's mother, was extremely strict when it came to sleep, and had insisted that each of the girls were to be in bed for 9pm at the latest when they were not performing in the Opera Populaire that night. Christine had never meant to rebel against this as she knew that Madame Giry was only striving to get the best out of each of her ballerinas, especially herself and Meg. Christine just felt that she needed these moments of solitude in an otherwise crowded atmosphere.

Christine bit her lip as she carefully tried not to let the floorboards creak beneath her. She did not want to upset Madame Giry as she was the closest thing to a mother she had or would ever experience, as her own mother had died in bringing her into the world.

When she was younger, her father had always told her endless stories about her mother, so that she could get an idea of what she had been like. When he spoke of Marguerite, her mother, the look in his eyes would contain much sadness and adoration. He would constantly explain to her that Marguerite had been named after the main role in Gounod's opera Faust, as her whole family had been musically gifted and each of them had loved opera.

Night after night, Christine and her father would talk together for hours about her mother, music, and any silly childlike subject that Christine wanted to speak of and Christine had thought, and hoped, that those days would never end.

After talking to her for hours, when he could see her eyes starting to look tired, he would then play his violin for her and she would fall into an enchanted sleep at the beautiful sound. Her father was an accomplished violinist and often took her with him to various Concert Halls and Theatres in France. His life had fascinated her and she had been delighted to watch him perform to all those hundreds of people who applauded him and shouted cheers of approval.

Christine smiled, as she let her mind wander to those glorious days.

There was one theatre visit that always remained vivid in Christine's memory. The theatre had been in the French coastal town of Le Havre, and her dad had secured a two week contract to play there as one of the various artists who had already been booked to perform. Christine had remained backstage, as usual, watching the artists perform and as well as watching her father with great admiration, she had also grown increasingly inspired by the great operatic singers who were performing. Back in the small holiday cottage where she and her father were staying, she would sing to herself, practising what she had witnessed on stage.

One night, as she was walking outside the cottage, she had started to sing, liking the sound of her voice being carried on the night air. She had been shocked to notice a boy standing in the shadows, listening intently. Feeling nervous, she had instantly stopped and blushed.

"No carry on" the boy had urged "You have a very sweet little voice"

"Thank you" Christine, feeling ridiculously shy, had wanted to run as she had never had much experience with boys and this one was the most captivating boy she had ever seen. He was obviously of fine breeding, she could tell by his clothes and his voice.

"Just out of curiousity, how old are you?" the boy stopped her "I was just wondering, you look very young to have such a good voice"

"I am 9, what about you?" Christine was sure he was a few years older than her, too old to be interested in a little girl like her

"13. My name is Raoul De Chagny" Raoul held out his hand and Christine gingerly shook it.

"My name is Christine. Christine Daae" she blushed at the touch of his hand "What are you doing out here"

"I left my parents in the hotel" he looked out towards the sea "I like to walk by the sea. It's beautiful, don't you think"

"Yes" Christine followed his gaze and watched the sea crashing against the cliffs "I often like to walk around here myself

"Often? How long are you here?" Raoul questioned.

"My dad has been performing at the Theatre. We are here for another week" Christine explained

"Well I would very much like to come and see you again, if that is ok" Raoul smiled "Tomorrow night?"

The second time they had met, her father had insisted that Raoul came in for something to eat and drink and Raoul had happily listened as her father played the violin and she sang. In the remaining time that Christine was in Le Havre, she and Raoul had become good friends and had talked and giggled as her father had prepared small bonfires just metres away from the edge of the cliffs. Then, Raoul, Christine and her father had sat around the bonfire while her father had told them deep, dark stories to which they would listen intently. As always, the nights would end with them all singing and her father playing his violin around the bonfire.

When time had come for Christine and her father to leave Le Havre, she had left with a heavy heart, knowing that she and Raoul would probably never meet again. Her father, seeing her unhappiness had tried to cheer her up all the way home with comical stories and songs which had helped a lot but Christine had just gained and lost her first love in the space of a week and that was a lot for a 9 year old to take.

Making her way, slowly down the steps to the Opera House chapel, Christine wiped away a tear from her eye. It had been just over a year since her father had died. Just under a year after the happiness and laughter they had shared in Le Havre, Christine had had to watch as illness had engulfed her father, day by day until finally, his life had come to an end and she had suddenly been alone.

During his 7 month illness, his finances had crumbled due to his inability to perform and bit by bit, most of the things they had owned had been repossessed and there was very little for him to leave Christine when he died. In the last month of his illness, he had told Christine to take whatever he had left and to make her way to Paris where he was sure she would be able to find employment in the Opera Populaire. Christine had been frightened and didn't share her father's confidence that they would want her there.

"But father" she had protested "I have never had any proper singing lessons, nor any dancing lessons, what if they don't take me in there?"

"You have natural talent" he father had reassured her, struggling for breath "Trust me Christine, you are sure to find a way for yourself there. You have a beautiful voice, that only needs a little tuition. I am sure that when they hear you, they will be more than willing to help you improve"

"I don't want you to leave me" Christine had sniffed, trying to stop tears from falling.

"Please, don't cry" her father had noticed the tears welling in her eyes "I will send the angel of music down from the heavens to look after you"

"Angel of music?" Christine's interest had been aroused

"Yes" her father had weakly smiled "The angel will guide you, in your heart and soul, to your destiny"


	2. Chapter 2

**PART 2 – ARRIVING IN PARIS**

Trusting his word, Christine had travelled to Paris shortly after her father's death. Using what little money she had, she had purchased some new clothes so she would look relatively refined when she arrived at the Opera Populaire. As futile as she suspected her visit to the Opera Populaire would be, she at least wanted to make a good impression.

Alone, frightened and cold, the 10 year old Christine had made her way through the busy streets of Paris, searching for the Opera Populaire. Struggling to make her way through the hordes of Christmas shoppers, Christine had shared none of the jovial banter of the people. To find the Opera Populaire had been her only aim and the fact that Christmas had been a mere 3 weeks away meant nothing to Christine, for what was Christmas without her father. In her haste to escape the merriment of the crowds, she had started to run, and had continued to run until she came to the Opera Populaire.

Looking up at the intimidating but beautiful building, Christine felt a mixture of elation to have finally arrived there and fear of what she was to do next. Sighing, she slowly started to walk up the steps. After all, she had nothing to lose.

As she slowly pushed the heavy doors open, she stared in wonderment at the great staircase that lay before her. She seemed to feel dwarfed by the magnificence of the place, and started to turn back.

"I can't do this" she whispered to herself "They won't want me here"

"Child, what are you doing in here?" A tall, lady walked towards her anxiously "You shouldn't wander around here, you could get terribly lost"

Dressed all in black, her hair scraped back from her face into a bun, the lady looked most intimidating, but as Christine looked closer, she could see that her cheeks were stained with tears.

"Sorry…Please, I…" Christine trailed off as she looked up at the lady "I don't know why I am here. I won't trouble you further"

"No wait. Please stop. I am Madame Giry, can I help you at all?"

The lady's voice stopped Christine, who slowly turned around to face the lady.

"Are you alright?" the lady looked down at her, frowning.

"Y-yes. I'm awfully sorry for troubling you" Christine shrugged "I will go"

"And where are you going?" the lady questioned "You seem a little lost"

"Well, I was heading here, but now I have arrived, it all seems a little pointless" Christine shrugged.

"You wanted to join the company?" Madame Giry walked up to Christine and smiled "I'm afraid all the places are filled here at the moment"

Madame Giry was used to young children turning up at the Opera Populaire, seeking their fame and fortune. Of course, most of them were children of poor families, desperate to see if their children could save them from their destitute lives with some hidden talent that they never had.

"Of course" Christine nodded.

"Who sent you?"

Madame Giry was curious about this young girl. She was too young to be roaming the streets of Paris, and yet she didn't look like a typical vagabond child. She was well presented and her clothes did not look like the clothes of a vagabond child.

"My father did" Christine looked down in sadness at the thought of her father "Just

before he died, he told me to come here and …….I don't know. I suppose he thought I could join the company. Silly I know"

Madame Giry's heart melted for the girl. Having just lost her husband, she knew the feeling of bereavement all too well.

"What is your name?" Madame Giry enquired

"Christine. Christine Daae" shyly Christine curtseyed

"Come with me" Madame Giry smiled down at Christine "I will do my best for you. You look the same age as my daughter Meg, I'm sure you will be good company for each other"

"But what if I don't fit in?" Christine started to feel very sick. This was what she had travelled to Paris for and yet she suddenly felt an urge to run.

"Nonsense" Madame Giry dismissed with her hand "I will make you fit in"

And she had.

After watching Christine's progress in ballet classes, Madame Giry had made it clear to Christine that she felt quite pleased with her decision to help Christine. She had excelled quickly and it was clear that she had natural talent, although she obviously needed tuition with her singing. As beautiful as her voice was, it obviously needed to be trained to perfection and Madame Giry was a ballet teacher and not experienced enough to assist Christine with her singing.

Dragging her thoughts back to the present, Christine slowly lit a candle in memory of her late father. She sighed as she watched the flames ignite, casting dark, mystical shadows on the walls.

Again, her thoughts drifted back to when she had first arrived at the Opera Populaire. Madame Giry had been correct, Christine and Meg Giry were both 10 and had been of great consolation to each other. Having both recently lost their fathers, they had shared stories with each other and had helped each other through difficult times. Both of their fathers had been through months of illness before their deaths and they found that they had a lot in common to help each other through the sad times.

In the year since Christine had arrived at the Opera Populaire, she and Meg had become increasingly close and had shared everything with each other. For hours, they talked about their childhood, and Christine had confided in Meg about Raoul. Giggling in her usual manner, Meg had questioned her about everything that had happened in Le Havre and Christine had dreamily told her about their times by the fire near the edge of the cliffs. Despite everything, Meg had been the most upbeat, open person that Christine had ever encountered and she felt that there wasn't anything that they didn't know about each other.

Except one thing.

Christine had not told anyone, not even Meg for fear that everyone would think she had gone mad. She feared that if she confided in anyone about what had been happening to her, they would think her father's death had affected her mind and she didn't want anyone to think that. Finally, she was started to get on with her life and the pain of losing her father was not as painful as it had been at first. The pain was still there, but Christine had just learnt to manage with her pain and to ease it by singing.

However, the events of the last few weeks had even Christine doubting her own sanity. She had been hearing a voice in her head. Even when she was awake, she would hear the voice calling her name softly, sometimes even singing to her. After frantically searching the dormitory a few times, she had found no explanation for the voice as no other girl had been awake to hear it. It had clearly been the voice of a young man, and when he sang to her, despite her fear, she had found herself relaxing, the man's voice soothing her fear and enchanting her mind.

Shaking her head, Christine turned her thoughts to her father. He would be so glad to know that she had found a place in the Opera Populaire, if only he could be there to watch her dancing with the company.

For several minutes, she knelt in the Chapel, praying for her father. Hoping that he knew she was being well looked after. Madame Giry had ensured that Christine was always fed, clothed and most importantly, loved. She had treated Christine no differently to how she had treated her own daughter and Meg hadn't seemed to mind this at all.

Christine slowly got up, and brushed the dust off her nightgown. Heading back up the stone steps, Christine suddenly felt compelled to head towards the Prima Donna's dressing room. Why, she didn't know, something was just pulling her in that direction.

Slowly, she slipped quietly into the dressing room and lit a candle. She slid into the chair by the dressing table and gazed into the mirror, catching sight of a painting of the current leading lady, Carlotta, behind her.

Carlotta's voice was strong, although many said it was overly so, and that her voice lacked any real depth. Christine had not dared to comment as she was in awe of anyone who stood on that stage, commanding the audience's attention and praise. Carlotta was 10 years older than Christine and Christine had never once doubted the Opera Populaire's decision to hire her. After all, who was she to question.

Gazing at her reflection, Christine could see her own desire reflected in her eyes. As much as she loved being a ballerina, she had longed for more. To be able to sing on the centre of that stage was a dream that Christine knew she could never possibly fulfil. She didn't have the talent, experience or anyone to help her voice to excel. After all, it was just a dream wasn't it. Every girl her age had similar dreams.

Christine rose up from the chair and wandered around the dressing room, peering into the wardrobe. Carefully, she lifted out her favourite outfit, the dress that the character Elissa wears in the opera Hannibal, whilst singing Think of Me. Christine had always longed to sing that, it was such a beautiful song.

Holding the dress against, her tiny body, Christine started to sing softly,

"Think of Me, Think of me fondly

When we've said goodbye.

Remember me, once in a while

Please promise me you'll try"

Happily continuing with the song, Christine put the dress away and danced around the dressing room, imagining that she was Carlotta singing to a packed theatre.

As she finished the song, Christine sank to the floor and sighed.

"I wish I could be Carlotta, playing the roles she plays" Christine whispered to herself "I want to sing so much, it makes me happy"

"It brings me great happiness too"

That voice again! Frantically Christine tore around the dressing room, searching for anywhere that the voice could be coming from. As usual, she found nowhere.

In despair, she dashed to the dressing room door, looked back and spoke, hoping to address whoever was tormenting her.

"Please, stop this" She whispered "I don't know if you are in my mind or if you are really trying to drive me mad, but please, stop it"

Without waiting for a response, Christine dashed out of the room without looking where she was going and collided straight into the arms of Madame Giry.

"Christine, what are you doing here?" Madame Giry looked angry "I heard a noise down here and I came to see what it was. Now I see it is just you wandering around"

"The voice" Christine trembled as she ignored Madame Giry's words "It was more clear than ever tonight. I can't stand it anymore"

"Christine, you are speaking nonsense" Madame Giry's voice was firm

"No, I have been hearing this voice for some time now" Christine looked up at Madame Giry, hoping she would believe her "Sometimes he just speaks my name and sings to me, but tonight he spoke to me"

"He?" Madame Giry looked concerned

"It is a male voice" Christine looked pleadingly into Madame Giry's eyes "Please tell me you believe me"

"I believe that it is 1am" Madame Giry embraced Christine and kissed her delicately on the head "Your mind can play tricks when it is tired"

"No, I really heard it this time" Christine stubbornly stepped away from Madame Giry "I was wide awake, it was no dream"

"I do believe you may have heard something" Madame Giry slowly led Christine back to the dormitory "This building is enormous, every sound is echoed in here, many strange noises can be heard at night"

Christine decided not to discuss this any further and allowed Madame Giry to lead her back to the dormitory. As they stopped outside the door, Christine turned to Madame Giry and apologised.

"I am sorry, I really didn't mean to go against you. I just like to light a candle for my father" Christine sighed "But tonight, after I had done that, I felt an irresistible urge to head towards that dressing room, I really don't know why"

"Please, no more explaining, I'm not angry at you. I just want you to get some sleep" Madame Giry opened the door "Hard day's rehearsing to be done tomorrow. Goodnight Christine"

As Madame Giry closed the door, Christine quietly walked to her bed and slowly got into it, glancing at Meg in the next bed. Still sleeping peacefully, Meg had obviously been oblivious to everything.


	3. Chapter 3

**PART 3 – THE PHANTOM**

"Damn you!" the Phantom cursed himself as he slowly made his way down the long, winding passageways to his cavern home "You frightened the girl"

He shouldn't have spoken out to her, he should have just remained silent and just listened from the shadows. However, when he had heard Christine wishing to be Carlotta, he had simply had to say something. Carlotta's voice was extremely inferior to Christine's and he felt that Christine should never wish to be such a loathsome, talentless woman.

He had to admit, Christine needed guidance, and he longed to help her but how could he. He was limited to roaming underneath the opera house and could only venture into the opera house when he was sure that no-one would be around to see him.

Last night, he had been guided by the sound of Christine's voice. Such a delicate, soft little voice, that with a little tuition could achieve marvellous things, he was sure. He had stood near one of his secret entrances to the Opera House, the dressing room mirror and watched Christine as she had danced around, singing happily. It had delighted him to watch such a young girl singing with such passion.

"She would certainly show La Carlotta a thing or two about music" the Phantom whispered to himself.

When he arrived at the edge of the lake, he got into the gondola and slowly rowed back to his lair. Thoughts of Christine filled his mind, he had been intrigued by this young girl. Ever since she had arrived at the opera house, he had questioned Annie Giry about her and what he had found out had saddened him deeply. Christine had been completely alone when Madame Giry had found her wandering around the Opera Populaire, orphaned and sad. He so badly wanted to help her.

When he reached the lair, he got out of the gondola and took off his cloak, draping it over a mirror.

Sitting down at his organ, he slowly let his hands run over the keys, wallowing in music.

"Erik, what are you trying to do?" Madame Giry emerged through one of his mirrors. Another one of the Phantom's secret passageways.

"Annie, I didn't mean to scare the girl"

"Well you did" Madame Giry looked at him, with her hands on her hips "I have just had to leave her trembling in her bed. What do you think you are doing talking to her like that? Are you trying to drive her mad? Are you trying to get caught?"

"No" The Phantom walked towards her "I just couldn't help myself. She has a beautiful voice. When I heard her wishing to be Carlotta, I had to speak"

"I know she longs to sing" Madame Giry "But she needs tuition and there is no-one to teach her"

"I know" the Phantom nodded "Even without the tuition, she is far superior to La Carlotta"

Madame Giry gave way to a smile and chucked

"You don't like Carlotta do you"

"No" the Phantom sounded angry "She shouldn't be singing when there are talented girls like Christine here"

"She is only 11" Madame Giry shook her head "She has much to learn but I do believe that she will one day be ………."

"How?" the Phantom interrupted her "Without anyone to teach her, that beautiful voice will go unused and in time, she will lose what talent she already has. What waste!"

"I know" Madame Giry sighed "But what more can I do? I try my best to look after her"

"You can't do any more than what you already do" the Phantom reassured her "After all, you are still coping with your own grief"

Madame Giry nodded sadly

"What is it like?" the Phantom pondered wistfully

"I don't know what you mean" Madame Giry raised her eyes back up to meet his. She could see a tear forming in his eye

"Loving someone" the Phantom sighed "I guess I will never get to know so, tell me what is it like?"

"Sometimes it can make you feel like you are flying through the sky. On top of the world" Madame Giry gave into her sorrow and tears started falling from her eyes "And then sometimes it can hurt so much, you think you are going to die"

"I am sorry" the Phantom cursed his stupidity. Sometimes he could be so insensitive "I shouldn't have reminded you"

"You didn't need to remind me" Madame Giry wiped away her tears and gave a slight smile "Philippe is always in my mind. I love him so much"

"I know" the Phantom nodded "I know I shouldn't but I envy you so much. I would give anything to go through the pain you are going through, just to have loved someone and to have had their love in return"

"Don't wish for such things" Madame Giry whispered gravely "You do not know what you are asking. Perhaps it is better not to love"

"I shall never know" the Phantom strode past Madame Giry "I will never fall in love, there are many things I will never get to do so I must put my mind to other things"

"Like what?" Madame Giry questioned with dread.

"I am going to help Christine" the Phantom spoke with determination "My life is empty but at least I can help her achieve her dream"

"No!" Madame Giry cried "You mustn't. Please, Christine is very fragile, she mustn't be frightened"

"I have no intention of scaring her. I just want to help her"

"No please don't do this" Madame Giry pleaded "Once one person has seen you, more will follow. She is a child, she will not be able to keep you secret"

"She doesn't have to see me" the Phantom was wildly hatching a plan in his mind. "Just like I spoke to her that night, I can teach her with my voice. She doesn't ever need to see my face"

"This is crazy" Madame Giry shook her head "I won't let you do this. You will frighten the poor child"

"Do you not want to see her achieve her dream?" the Phantom responded coldly "She needs my help"

"No matter how hard I try, I know there is nothing I can do to stop you" Madame Giry headed towards the mirror entrance and turned towards him "But I urge you to rethink this crazy idea. No good will come out this, mark my words"

Madame Giry then walked back into the passageway and to her bedroom. After all, as she had told Christine, there was a hard day of rehearsals ahead of them and she must get as much sleep as she could in the time she had left before morning.


	4. Chapter 4

**PART 4 – REHEARSALS **

The day's rehearsal was not going well for Christine. She just couldn't concentrate, her mind was firmly fixed on the voice that she had heard last night. Just one sentence had been uttered but in that one sentence, every one of Christine's fears had been confirmed. She had not been dreaming the voice that had called her name so often in the night, she had not imagined that voice singing softly to her as she had drifted into sleep so many nights.

But why? Why was this voice tormenting her? She was an 11 year old girl, so why was this….this thing choosing to haunt her mind. There were many other girls that shared dormitories in the Opera Populaire and not one of them had ever complained of hearing voices in the night.

Unless they were keeping silent about it.

This thought seemed logical. After all, just like she had feared, any other of the ballerinas would fear the same disbelief that would have been imposed on them had they shared the secret.

Christine looked about her at each of the ballerinas around her. None of them looked tormented as she did. She watched Meg as her movements elegantly seemed to flow to the music. Beside her, Christine watched Emilie who, as always looked deep in concentration. Emilie was a sweet girl who often struggled with various movements. She would always persevere though until she had them exactly up to Madame Giry's standards, which were always high. Christine's eyes then landed on Shantelle the prima ballerina, who was, as ever exact in every single movement, but with a look of sheer self adoration in her face. She and her closest friends Nicolette and Elita all had the same attitude and Christine had never had much involvement with these three girls. They, unlike many of the ballerinas did not reside at the Opera Populaire but lived with their well to do families in luxurious villas just outside Paris and seemed to think that they were a cut above everybody else. They were all also older than most of the ballerinas at 16 and treated the younger girls as if they were insignificant. Thankfully, whenever Madame Giry was around, she had made sure that these attitudes were forgotten but as soon as she had turned her back then they would go back to their normal, ghastly selves. Shantelle, being the Prima Donna was by far, the worst and most arrogant of the three.

Concluding that none of the girls seemed to look as she did, tired and tormented, Christine tried to draw her attention back to the rehearsal. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Madame Giry shaking her head at her, obviously aware of her lack of concentration.

"Enough!" Madame Giry gestured at Reyer who immediately silenced the orchestra "We will take a short rest."

Madame Giry walked purposefully up to Christine and whispered

"Christine, please use this time to gather your thoughts" Desperately, Madame Giry tried to think of something to say to put Christine's mind at rest.

"I know you had a scare last night but it was nothing to worry about and certainly not worth affecting your rehearsals over. Nothing to worry about Christine"

Reluctantly, Christine nodded and watched as Madame Giry went to discuss the ballet with Reyer.

How could there be nothing to worry about when you were hearing voices calling out to you? Either she was going completely mad, or some spirit was haunting her and Christine dreaded either being true.

"Oh Christine, please tell me what's wrong" Meg walked up to her and stroked the side of her face "You look so pale and tired and your dancing is all over the place today"

"I…….I couldn't sleep last night, that's all" Christine tried to force a smile

"Is that all that is troubling you?" Meg frowned.

Christine desperately wanted to share her torment with someone, if only just to see if they had experienced the same horror.

"Meg…." Christine hesitated "Do you ever hear anything strange in the night?"

"Well, Emilie tends to snore a lot" Meg giggled as she glanced at Emilie who was frantically practising a dance movement she had particular difficulty with.

"No not that kind of noise" Christine whispered "A voice. I think I heard a voice in the night Meg. I…."

"You heard a voice?" Meg squealed in horror

Christine stared in horror as Shantelle, Elita and Nicolette approached them. Shantelle, was laughing sarcastically.

"So Christine has been hearing voices?" She placed a soft finger on christine's face and roughly slid it down her nose "Was it a growly kind of voice or a scary, monster type of voice?"

"Christine, she asked you a question" Elita glared at Christine "Have you been hearing monsters in your head?"

Elita fell against Shantelle in laughter.

"I always thought she was odd" Nicolette joined in "Her dancing has been dreadful today, I don't know why she bothers"

"Leave her alone. She is just tired" Meg defended her

"Yes, stop harassing her" Emilie, concerned for Chsirtine, joined the group and handed Christine a glass of water "She doesn't look well"

Scoffing at Christine's expense, the three ballerina's walked away from them and went to talk on the other side of the stage, occasionally giggling and glancing back over at Christine.

"Ignore them" Meg sighed at Christine's pained expression "You just had a restless night that's all. The voices you heard were probably in your dreams"

"Yes" Christine was now quick to dismiss the whole thing "Of course you are right Meg, I am just tired"

"Those three just get joy out of tormenting the younger ballerinas" Emilie smiled "But they might have riches and age on their side but you have true beauty Christine. They are just jealous"

"Oh please" Christine smiled slightly "You don't have to flatter me, I will be fine"

As Madame Giry called the girls back to rehearse, Christine wished that what she had said was true. She didn't feel fine at all, and was well aware that her dancing was well below Madame Giry's standards today.

Slightly behind the others in the movements, Christine manically tried to catch up and get back into the rhythm.

"Christine, you are a few steps behind everyone else" Madame Giry was frantically waving her cane to emphasis the rhythm and as Christine, quickly swung around to catch up to the steps, she bumped into Shantelle and sent her tumbling to the floor.

"Ooow!" Shantelle was gripping her foot in pain "You clumsy little brat"

"Oh I am so sorry" Christine covered her mouth in horror "I didn't mean to…"

"Look what you have done" Elita, knelt by Shantelle and glared at Christine "You are a danger to the Opera Populaire you are"

"Yeah" Nicolette sneered "Why don't you just……"

"Girls!" Madame Giry banged her cane against the stage, silencing the girls "It was an accident"

"SHE is an accident" Shantelle hissed at Christine, still clutching her foot

Christine could stand no more, sobbing, she turned away and ran backstage.

"Should I go after her?" Meg started to walk after Christine purposefully

"No!" Madame Giry stopped her "Leave her be. She just needs rest"

Noticing Shantelle, Elita and Nicolette still chattering away about Christine, Madame Giry strode over to where they were sitting and stood over them, looking down.

"Elita, Nicolette, we still have much to do" she gestured for them to join the other girls then glanced at Shantelle "Shantelle, you go to one of the dormitories and rest your foot"

Obviously shocked that her injury hadn't raised more concern, Shantelle stared after Madame Giry as she carried on talking to the rest of the ballerinas and slowly tried to get up. Feigning pain, she weakly called out.

"Please Madam Giry, I need some help to get to the dormitories. Can either Elita or Nicolette help me?"

Ignoring her specific request, Madame Giry turned to Emilie and smiled

"Emilie, would you mind helping Shantelle to the dormitories?"

"Of course not" Emilie smiled back and immediately went to assist Shantelle.

Madame Giry smiled to herself as she watched Shantelle reluctantly allowing Emilie to help her. She was well aware that Shantelle was playing up her 'injury' as she was that kind of girl. Always wanted to be centre of attention and always quick to revel in the downfall of others. Not the kind of attitude that Madame Giry would tolerate.

High above the stage, standing in the dome above the chandelier, the Phantom watched the scene with fury. He loathed those girls as much as he loathed Carlotta. Each of them spoilt, hideous examples of the human race. As he had surveyed the rehearsals below, he had felt an enormous amount of guilt that his foolish behaviour last night had caused the Christine immense distress. But his guilt had soon been replaced with anger as he had watched those loathsome girls intimidating and humiliating her. How dare they torment this pretty little angel like that!

"_Angel, angel…" _The Phantom pondered to himself, an idea suddenly forming in his mind.

Time and time again, he had heard Christine speak of an angel of music whilst praying to her late father. From what he had been able to hear of the child's whispers, her father had promised her that he would send her an angel of music to protect her when he died.

He would be that angel.

That way, Christine would not ask too many questions, if he could just convince her that he was the angel that her father had spoke of. He realised that if he appeared to Christine, looking as he did dressed in a long black cape and wearing a mask and being much older than her at 28, he would be bound to terrify her and he didn't want that. He just wanted to help this young talent to flourish.

Anxious to put his plan into action, the Phantom slowly moved through the tiny door in the dome and made his way back down, to see if he could locate Christine anywhere.


	5. Chapter 5

**PART 5 – CHRISTINE'S ANGEL**

In her despair, Christine had fled out into the corridors of the Opera Populaire, with no idea of where to go. Sobbing, she flung open the nearest door to her and found herself in the Prima Donna's dressing room. The last place she wanted to be. Firmly closing the door behind her, Christine sat by the dressing table and lay her head on her arms, absorbing the beautiful sound of silence that surrounded her.

As she sobbed, she wished like mad that her father could be there to help her. There were so many things she wanted to ask him.

Softly, she cried

"You promised me you would send the angel of music to look after me father" She looked up, as if addressing her father in heaven "But there is no angel, and things are going badly wrong. I am going crazy, hearing voices in my head, the prima ballerina hates me and ….I just want you here with me……….oh daddy"

Christine hadn't cried like this since her father had died. Tears that had been bottled up for months, finally slid down her soft, flushed cheeks.

The Phantom's heart ached as he observed the poor girl weeping away to herself. How he longed to rush to her side and hug her and tell her that everything was going to be alright. But unless he went ahead with his plan, things wouldn't be alright and she would never achieve her dream.

Nervously, the Phantom started to speak.

"Christine" he uttered quietly

Christine's tears subsided as she slowly raised her head. Panic stricken, she began looking around her to see who had spoken. Her lips started to tremble.

"Please no" she slowly got up from the chair and cautiously started backing away "Am I truly going mad?"

"Do you doubt what you hear with your own ears?" the Phantom's voice grew louder to try and convince her that his voice was not just inside her head "You are not mad, far from it child"

"Who are you?" Christine suddenly became aware that her legs had stopped moving and that she was stood still in the middle of the room

"I am your angel of music" the Phantom spoke softly.

Then he began to sing, and Christine found herself closing her eyes and tilting her head to the side in appreciation as the notes winded through her mind, her body and her soul. He had the most enchanting, hypnotic voice she had ever heard and she found her fear giving way to a deep serenity.

"Angel" Feeling as if she was in some kind of trance, Christine slowly took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

"As your father promised, I am here to help you"

The Phantom felt a slight pang of guilt at deceiving the young girl this way, but how else could he make her trust him. There was no other way he could think of to ensure that she would totally trust in him and not fear him. At least this way, Christine was spared from the sight of his monstrous face, he would never subject the child to that.

Christine's mind was a whirl of confusion. Her mind was frantically telling her to run out of the room to the safety of the dormitories, yet her heart and soul were pleading with her to stay. His voice was still flowing around her mind, lulling her into a sense of security.

In an attempt to come out of her trance like state, Christine shook her head and anxiously started looking around the room again.

"Where are you?" she frowned

"Everywhere"

The Phantom's voice seemed to surround her as she frantically searched for a logical explanation to the whole situation.

"I….I need to go" Christine started backing away again, quicker this time.

In her haste, she collided with a chair and fell to the floor, breathing heavily. Swiftly, she picked herself up and headed for the door.

"No" the Phantom spoke urgently "Please Christine, I want to help you"

Christine stopped at the door and turned back into the room.

"I don't need help" Christine whispered "I need you to stop tormenting me, whoever or whatever you are"

"You know what I am, I am the angel your father promised to you. Your angel of music"

Christine glanced back at the dressing table and noticed a sheet of music lying next to the mirror. That hadn't been there before. Cautiously, she walked over to the dressing table and picked up the music.

"This aria is from Faust!" She smiled joyously.

She suddenly forgot her fear as she ran her fingers over the music. She had grown up with this Opera as her father had loved it. He had often played the arias on his violin and she had sang, loving every note.

"I want you to sing this" the Phantom watched as she surveyed the music with joy.

He had known that she would love this music. He had heard her speak of the opera so often when praying to her father. He knew that this aria would motivate her even more to sing.

"I can't sing this" Christine gasped "I am not good enough"

"You have sung this many times before, with your father" the Phantom reminded her "He would want you to sing it"

"How do you know….?"

"I know many things" the Phantom spoke softly "I know what a beautiful voice you have and I know your dreams"

"They are the same as any other young girl's dreams" Christine refused to believe that this _angel_ knew her mind so intimately.

"But you have the one thing they don't. Natural talent" the Phantom smiled to himself as he heard her angelic voice in his head "I want to train your beautiful voice to perfection, and to show you and the rest of the company exactly what talent you have"

His voice was mild and gentle and Christine could feel herself responding to it.

"You are my angel of music"

It was more of a realisation than a question. Christine was allowing her mind to open wide and let herself believe in her angel.

"Yes" the Phantom was pleased that she was starting to believe in him. "Together, we will achieve so much. Your dreams are all in sight if you just allow me to be your guide"

Mechanically, Christine felt her head nod, as if controlled by another.

"All you have to give me is time" the Phantom continued "I want you to practise that aria I have given to you. After saying your prayers to your father, you must come here and I will listen to you and teach you"

"But…" Christine began

"Tomorrow night" the Phantom interrupted "You will be here and we will begin"

"Do you have a name?" Christine questioned

Silence…..

He had gone.


	6. Chapter 6

**PART 6 – THE FIRST LESSON**

The Phantom started to pace behind the dressing room mirror. It was getting very late and still Christine had not turned up for their first singing lesson. He was started to grow nervous that she wouldn't show up at all.

He had chosen this room to teach her in as this was the best room in the Opera Populaire that would enable her to hear his voice clearly. He had a few secret openings and passageways leading from this dressing room. One was through the dressing room mirror, and this is where he proposed to stand to teach Christine. He would be able to see her clearly through this and at the same time, she would not be able to see him.

Convinced that Christine wasn't going to show up, the Phantom started to turn away and head back down to his lair but he was stopped by the sound of the dressing room door slowly opening.

Christine slipped into the Prima Donna's dressing room quietly. Still unsure whether she should have turned up at all, she nervously proceeded to walk into the middle of the dressing room.

"Angel, I am here" she started to play with her long dark curls, uncomfortably "I'm sorry it is very late but I was praying to my father and I …..I had a lot to say to him tonight about you and…."

"Sssssh" the Phantom whispered "You are here now. Lets start"

"Please….angel" Christine fished out the piece of music from the pocket in her dress and looked at it in despair "I have been singing this at every opportunity but I just don't feel confident about it"

"And that is why we are here" the Phantom chuckled "You cannot expect to excel at anything until you have been taught from the beginning. I am here to listen to you sing and then suggest ways in which you can improve"

"I can't sing it to you" Christine's eyes looked full of dread "I'm sorry, I just can't"

"You need to, or I cannot help you" the Phantom sighed "Pretend you are alone, and just sing"

Christine took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Holding the music out in front of her, she trembled as she softly started to sing. As she sang, she clung to the sheet of music as if she was clinging on for dear life. She had never felt more nervous in her life. She had heard her angel sing to her and she was sure that her voice would pale in comparison.

"No" the Phantom spoke harshly "Christine, you need to hold your head up. I know that you know this aria very well, I have heard you singing it to yourself before I ever gave you the music. You do not need to keep looking at the sheet"

"But…." Christine murmured

"Also…" the Phantom interrupted "I need more volume. Your character Marguerite is singing at her joy at finding all those jewels outside her door. They are like something she has never seen before. You need to convey with your voice that she is happy"

Christine frowned in frustration. How was she ever going to meet her angel's high standards.

"Imagine every emotion you have ever known" the Phantom continued "Sadness, happiness, sorrow,…..love. All these emotions must be used in accordance with what you are singing. You need to feel the character's happiness and their pain and use it. Use it in your voice and you will be astonished at the reaction you will evoke from people"

Christine smiled at the sheer passion in her angel's voice. From the way he was speaking, it was clear that he was extremely knowledgeable about singing and that he held a great deal of love for music.

Motivated by his passion, she placed the sheet of music on the dressing table and took a deep breath.

The Phantom couldn't help but smile as her voice filled the room. It was such a contrast to the way she had just sung a few minutes ago. She sounded much more confident and the happiness she was feeling at singing, leaked through into the song giving it a new feeling of elation and joy.

When she had finished the aria, the room fell silent and Christine glanced around the room. Her angel had fallen silent, Afraid she had not pleased him, she sighed

"You didn't like it?"

"Like it?" the Phantom laughed, he hadn't felt like this for a long time "Christine, it was divine. You sounded like an angel from the heavens "

Christine's smile spread right across her face. She instantly blushed, feeling shy and overjoyed at her angel's compliments.

"Do you really think I am good enough to sing for the Opera Populaire?"

"Give me time Christine……" the Phantom promised "And I will make you the star of this company, you see if I don't"

"The star?" Christine's eyes widened in amazement "But angel I…."

"Now Christine you must go to bed" the Phantom ignored her protests "It is very late and you are going to need a lot of energy for what is ahead"

"What is ahead?" Christine asked

"Goodnight Miss Daae" the Phantom's voice disappeared into the darkness as he turned away and headed to his lair.

Christine joyously spun around and skipped to the door. She felt like she was walking on air as she made her way to the dormitory. Smiling to herself, she realised that the last time she had been this happy had been the wonderful fortnight in Le Havre with her father and Raoul. She had never expected to feel such happiness again in her life.

"_Thank you angel"_ Christine thought to herself.

The Phantom couldn't stop smiling as he rowed back across the lake to his home. They had achieved so much in one lesson to help her voice grow and it excited him to imagine what they could achieve in 10 lessons or 20. He had never felt so alive. This had finally given him something to live for, to strive for.

"_I will help that girl achieve her dreams, even if it's the last thing I do"_


	7. Chapter 7

PART 7 – DRESSING ROOM DRAMA 

Christine sang quietly to herself as she folded her clean clothes on her bed. Since her angel had started teaching her over three weeks ago, her heart felt uplifted. His voice, combined with her own, were constantly echoing in her mind and she just couldn't help but smile. As she hung her clothes up in her wardrobe, she noticed that Shantelle, and her two cronies had just entered the room.

"_Oh I don't care" _she thought to herself as she ignored their presence.

She wasn't going to let these three bullies get to her today. She just felt too happy. Lessons with her angel of music were getting better and better all the time until she barely recognised her own voice. As she placed the last bits of clothing into her wardrobe, she carried on singing her favourite aria, then casually walked by the three girls and left the dormitory.

"That girl does nothing but sing lately" Nicolette remarked to Shantelle

"I know" Shantelle huffed "She really likes the sound of her own voice"

"I don't" Elita hissed angrily

Hearing their spiteful discussion, Emilie, hung her last item of clothing in her wardrobe, walked up to the three girls and sighed

"Listen to you three, so jealous" she smiled sarcastically "I think Christine sounds lovely, and she is getting better and better each day. She sounds better than any of you three"

"Who asked you, little brat?" Nicolette stared menacingly at Emilie

"We are dancers, not singers" Elita wound a strand of her long blonde hair around her finger "It would do Christine well to remember that"

"Oh forget them nobodys" Shantelle chuckled to the other two "We all know that we have one important thing that precious Christine does not. Money"

"Well it makes up for the lack of talent" Meg called from the other side of the dormitory

"And how would you know talent?" Shantelle shot at Meg "You are only here because your mother is the ballet mistress"

"Please, why is there this need to argue so much?" Emilie shook her head "We are all here to work together"

"Only some of us shouldn't be here if talent was what really mattered " Shantelle cast another hateful glance at Meg, then left the room, swiftly followed by Elita and Nicolette.

Emilie noticed Meg's face fall in despair and immediately went over to her and put an arm around her shoulder

"Ignore them" she said firmly

"Do you think they are right?" Meg sniffed

"No, don't be silly. You have earned your place here Meg" Emilie smiled "You know your mother better than that. Only pure talent gains a place here."

"I do struggle sometimes" Meg frowned

"I struggle all the time" Emilie laughed "But I get there in the end and when I do, I think it all turns out rather well. I wouldn't be here otherwise"

"I just hate them Emmy" Meg looked angrily at where the girls had just stood "I don't know why my mother allows them to be here"

"Unfortunately, they are good dancers" Emilie shrugged "Just don't let them get to you"

"You are right" Meg wiped away her tears and smiled "Of course you are. But why were they in the dormitories anyway, they don't live here"

"They just like to spread a bit of happiness" Emilie rolled her eyes

"I wish they would spread happiness in front of an out of control horse and cart" Meg laughed

"Now now Meg, we mustn't stoop to their level" Emilie laughed and took Meg's hand and led her out of the dormitory "I need help with that last movement we were rehearsing"

"Alright" Meg giggled as the girls made their way to the stage

Glancing around to see that she was alone, Christine slipped into the Prima Donna's dressing room. It was only 11am and she was sure she would not be disturbed. Standing in front of the dressing room mirror, she folded out the last piece of music that the angel had given her to work on and smiled. She simply loved singing and her angel was motivating her so well. His compliments were as regular as his criticisms but Christine found that she was thriving on his criticisms. They gave her more of a determination to impress him, as she often did. This piece was also special, as he had told her that it was one he had composed himself and she did not want to let him down.

Softly she started to sing, feeling carried away by her own beautiful voice and her angel's music. It was so powerful, she felt like some kind of spell had been cast over her every time she sang it.

She was so engrossed with the music, that she didn't notice Madame Giry had entered the room, quietly behind her. As she opened her eyes, she gasped.

"Madame Giry, how long have you been there?"

"Long enough" Madame Giry's eyes were filled with a mixture of concern and admiration

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be here" Christine quickly folded the piece of music and placed it back into her pocket

"Oh Christine, you sounded wonderful" Madame Giry walked over to Christine and embraced her "Truly wonderful"

"I……I have been practising" Christine felt awful about lying to the woman she had come to regard as a mother.

However, in each of the lessons, her angel had stressed to her how important it was that the lessons remained a secret. That seemed for the best as who would believe her anyway?

"Practising" Madame Giry walked over to the mirror and gazed through it, as it straining to see something

"Madame Giry, what is the…."

"Nothing child, nothing" Madame Giry laughed uncomfortably "Just a few more wrinkles that I hadn't noticed before, that's all"

Christine frowned. Madame Giry's complexion was as smooth as that of a young girl. Due to her dancing, Madame Giry had always looked well and healthy and the years had seemed to take no toll on her looks at all.

"I must go" Madame Giry walked towards the door, then turned back to Christine "Rehearsals in one hour remember"

"Of course" Christine smiled as Madame Giry left the room.

She wondered what had been wrong as Madame Giry's face had paled slightly at the mention of Christine practising and she had looked almost entranced as she had been gazing at the mirror. Well, to Christine it had looked as if she had been trying to gaze _through _the mirror. How odd.

Shaking her head, she decided to practise a while longer before the rehearsal. She reproduced the piece of music and, closing her eyes, resumed where she had left off and let herself get carried away in the song again.

"Well well well!" Shantelle and her two cronies burst in "What are you doing in here?"

"Getting delusions of grandeur?" Elita roared with laughter

"The dormitory's not good enough for you anymore?" Nicolette smirked

"I…I was just singing" Christine backed away

"We heard" Shantelle grimaced "That's all we hear lately. You never stop"

"I'm not causing any harm" Christine looked down "I just like to sing"

"And this is what you were singing?" Nicolette snatched the music out of her hands and handed it to Shantelle

"Y…Yes" Christine watched the music being handed over with dread.

"Well, we don't like to hear your whiny little voice" Shantelle tore the music up into little pieces and blew it into Christine's face "Maybe this will shut you up"

The three girls howled with laughter as they left the room, leaving Christine surrounded by what remained of her angel's music.

"Oh angel!" Christine collapsed to the ground, looking in despair at the pieces of music "I'm sorry. What will you think of me!"

She sobbed uncontrollably, gathering up the torn remains of her angel's composition. She had wanted to impress him and now all she had done was let him down and ruin his wonderful music.

"Please forgive me" she uttered


	8. Chapter 8

**PART 8 – THE PHANTOM'S SECOND KILLING **

The Phantom sighed as he turned over in his bed and caught sight of the time. 11am! He should get up now and continue composing music for his little angel, Christine. That is how he had come to regard her, his little angel for she had a voice fit for the heavens.

He had never slept so late before but he had been having the most wonderful dream and he had felt reluctant to wake. In the dream, Christine had been singing to a packed theatre, only she looked older. Her long brown curl were still there but instead of reaching her shoulders like they currently did, they had cascaded down her back. She had been beautiful in the dream and her voice….. her voice had been sheer perfection. When she had finished the aria, the crowd had stood up and applauded her for such a long time that he had wondered if they would ever stop. And he had been there, sitting amongst all the theatre goers, seeming as if he belonged there. Despite the mask he was wearing, no-one had seemed to fear him and he had blended in with everyone else well. He had been sitting in the front row, watching Christine with immense admiration. When the applause had finally subsided, Christine had glanced down at him and smiled lovingly, mouthing the words 'thank you'.

Shaking his head, the Phantom dressed slowly and caught sight of himself in the mirror. Frowning in disgust, he wondered how something so hideous could dream of something so beautiful.

Slipping his mask on, the Phantom shook away the thoughts of the dream and sat down at his organ, ready for another day of composing.

"Erik, what you are doing is madness!"

Madame Giry stepped out from behind one of the mirrors and stood, hands on hips in front of the Phantom.

"And good morning to you too" the Phantom laughed "I do love our friendly greetings Annie"

"You have been teaching Christine!"

"What makes you think that?" the Phantom smiled smugly "Does Miss Daae's voice resemble that of an angel's? Does your heart feel uplifted when you hear her? What makes you think I would have something to do with that?"

"This is no joke" Madame Giry shook her head

"So I'm teaching the girl" the Phantom walked past Madame Giry and sat on a rock "What is wrong with that? Does she not sound wonderful?"

"Oh she does" Madame Giry had to admit "But there are enough rumours flying around about you, without you drawing attention to yourself"

"Buquet still spreading malicious lies about me then?" the Phantom grunted "That man never stops"

"Only they are not lies, they are true" Madame Giry sat across from him and sighed "Erik, I want Christine to excel too but, after you killed that man 3 years ago, you need to keep a low profile and not interfere in the business of the Opera Populaire at all"

"I had no choice then" Erik looked away "He saw me"

"And you couldn't have let him go?" Madame Giry frowned. Erik seemed to be able to justify his actions so easily.

"No, you know that. If I had let him go, he would have told everyone about me and they would all come down here to capture me"

The Phantom shuddered as memories of that day came back to him. It had been his first killing since the gypsy in the fair, and it had left him so traumatised, he hadn't been able to sleep peacefully for a long time. Killing the gypsy had been easy as he had been fuelled by hatred and a desire to escape but this killing had been different.

Two men had been sent down into the depths of the Opera Populaire to see what was down there. They worked for the Opera Populaire and the manager had sent them down to recover anything they found. They had caught the Phantom offguard and he had not been wearing his mask. Without much thought, he had simply been compelled to act and to act fast. As he had slipped the noose around the first man's neck and watched as the life drained from him, the other man had managed to escape and had told anyone who would listen about the Phantom of the Opera, as he had came to be known. Thankfully, the man who had escaped had a reputation of being over generous with the truth and people had refused to believe him. The Phantom had simply taken the body, and left it in one of the rooms of the Opera Populaire, made to look as if he had hung himself. Due to the man's alcohol abuse, no one had questioned the reason behind his death and the Phantom's lair had remained a secret.

It had been quite easy really but that night, after he had had time to think about what had happened, he had spent the whole night just crying and trembling. He had murdered again, only this time, the person was an innocent and had never done him harm. The Phantom had tried to console himself with the thought that if he had let the man go, he would have told the police and then the Phantom would have been caught, most likely killed, then his body would have been put on display for the public to gawp at, just like he had been at the gypsy fair. Thinking this eased his mind a little and confirmed that he had been right to do what he did for his own protection.

But then the dreams had followed. Night after the night, the Phantom had been tortured with dreams of the incident. Many nights he had woke up sweating, and with tears streaming down his face, trying not to think of the cold blooded murder he had committed. All he had wanted to do was forget, many others had seemed to forget.

The murder had been written off as a suicide and most people had been keen to dismiss the legend of the Phantom of the Opera.

However, there were people like Joseph Buquet who continued to entertain people with his stories about the Phantom of the Opera. The Phantom had no idea if Buquet really believed the stories were true but he sure enjoyed telling them to all of the gullible Ballet girls.

He had watched as Buquet had tried to scare the younger ballet girls with stories of the Opera Ghosts's killings and felt pleased that Christine had listened but showed no sign of believing the stories. She had just treated them as a scary ghost story, and that was all.

"So how did you manage to give her lessons?" Madame Giry's voice called the Phantom back to the present.

"Through the mirror in the dressing room" the Phantom mumbled "By voice only, she has not seen me"

"Is she not scared of you Erik?" Madame Giry asked "She seemed very frightened when you first started talking to her"

"She does not fear me"

The Phantom felt extremely reluctant to tell Madame Giry how he had deceived the girl into believing he was an angel sent by her father. When he thought of saying it out loud, it sounded so evil and sordid but his reasons for doing it were all for Christine and her dreams. How could he expect anyone else to understand.

"So she thinks it is normal for voices to coach you through walls and mirrors?" Madame Giry frowned "There is something you aren't telling me Erik"

"You will be too judgemental" he sighed

"Oh Erik, what have you done?" Madame Giry shook her head, dreading what he was about to tell her.

The silence hung in the air for several minutes as the Phantom paced up and down his lair. When he could bare the accusing look in Madame Giry's face no longer, he finally spoke.

"She believes that I am an angel sent by her late father" He looked away "An angel of music, sent to coach her and protect her"

"How could you?" Madame Giry put her hand to her mouth in shock

"I had no choice, it was the only way I could reach her" the Phantom got up and started pacing "I needed to help her Ann. I _needed _to"

"But you are messing with the mind of an 11 year old girl, can you not see how wrong this is!"

"Wrong?" the Phantom bellowed "Wrong to want to help her achieve what I know she is capable of achieving? You said yourself how good she sounded"

"This isn't just some project to wile away your hours Erik" Madame Giry stared at the Phantom "This is a little girl's life we are talking about here"

"I know, that is why I felt compelled to help her" The Phantom's voice softened as he took hold of Madame Giry's hands and looked into her eyes "her voice is like….it's like nothing I have ever heard before Ann. When she sings my music its like…."

"I know" Madame Giry pulled her hands away "But there are more important things than music"

"Not to me" the Phantom looked at the misty lake and sighed "The most important thing to me now is making sure that Christine gets the recognition she deserves. It has given me a reason to live Ann"

"Oh nonsense. I…"

"I believe this is the reason I was born" the Phantom continued "Until now, I had started to wonder why I had been placed on this earth but this is why. I was born to help this girl, and I will"

"You might well break her, if she realises that you are not an angel sent by her father" Madame Giry stared into his eyes defiantly "But you don't think of that do you? Music is all that matters to you and damn anyone who gets in your way"

"I don't care what you think " the Phantom swung away angrily "I know that this is meant to be. If you are just going to stand there continuously telling me that I am wrong then you had better leave"

"Very well, I can see that no amount of talking will make you see sense and I have a rehearsal to run" Madame Giry started to walk towards the open mirror "But please be careful, for your sake and Christine's. I don't want her frightened and I don't want you to get caught"

"I will only do right by Christine" the Phantom promised "I would never harm her"

"I know you would never _mean _to harm her" Madame Giry smiled "I know you want to help her, just be careful. Don't push her too much, she is only 11. Too much pressure may scare her"

With that, Madame Giry vanished through the mirror and shut it behind her. The Phantom watched as she vanished and kicked his chair

"I know she is wrong" the Phantom murmured to himself "She will see. They will all see"

Picking up the chair, he walked back to his organ and smiled.

"Now I must create an aria fit for an angel"


	9. Chapter 9

**PART 9 – THE ROSE**

Meg frowned in concern as she looked upon her friend who was lying face down on her bed, weeping as if her whole world had crumbled. She hadn't seen Christine this upset since her first few weeks at the Opera Populaire. Each night for about a month, she would wake up to find Christine sobbing in the bed next to hers and would quietly lead Christine out of the dormitory and seek solace in the Opera Populaire's chapel. Together, they would sit and weep for the loss of their late fathers.

Although it was obvious that Christine still missed her father deeply, the weeping had subsided and she had seemed to be able to carry on with her life. To see her weeping in this hysterical manner disturbed Meg.

"Please, Christine" she pleaded for her friend to stop crying "Tell me what is wrong, this isn't like you"

Christine, slowly turned over to reveal what looked like many pieces of paper, strewn all over her pillow.

"They tore the music" Christine gazed down at the torn pieces of music and let out a whine of despair "My angel's music. They just tore it up"

"Who tore it up? What angel?" Meg put her hand on Christine's shoulder "Christine, you're worrying me, you're not making any sense"

Christine recoiled at the touch, suddenly remembering her angel's request to remain anonymous.

"I…I"

"I hate to see you like this" Meg gently touched Christine's forehead and frowned "You are so hot Christine, and your eyes are so red from crying"

"Oh Meg, I hate them" Christine sniffed "I have never hated anyone before in my life and it really unsettles me to feel this way but I do, I hate them"

"You're talking about Shantelle and her coven of witches I assume" Meg smiled and wiped a strand of hair away from Christine's tear stained face "Christine, we just have to try and not let them get us down"

When Christine's only response was to look away and try to suppress more tears, Meg

sighed

"Rehearsals are in 10 minutes. You need to wash your eyes, don't let them see how much they can upset you"

"Christine will be excused from rehearsals today" Madame Giry walked into the dormitory and stood at the foot of Christine's bed "She is clearly unwell and needs rest"

"But mother, she.."

"You are not excused Meg. Christine will be fine, you don't need to worry" Madame Giry looked at Meg firmly "Go and join the others and I will follow"

Meg merely nodded, cast a sympathetic look at Christine and left the room.

"I….I am sorry but y….you are right" Christine lied "I do feel awful"

Madame Giry nodded solemnly

"Get some rest Christine" she walked towards the door. As she drew level to the door, she looked back at Christine and bit her lip, obviously anxious to say something.

"Madame Giry, what is it?" Christine frowned

"I…I have to go"

And with that, she turned and left the room, leaving Christine to her own thoughts. It was as if Madame Giry _knew_ something. But how could she? She hadn't even questioned the reason behind Christine's obvious distress, as if she didn't need to ask. And that look! The look she had just given to her as she had left the room, as if desperate to tell her something but fearful of doing so.

Christine shook her head and wiped away her tears. Her despair was obviously giving way to a great sense of paranoia and that was the last thing she needed. She must take Madame Giry's advice and get some rest before her lesson tonight as she was going to need all the strength she could muster to tell her angel that his beautiful composition now lay in tatters on her pillow.

Not that she feared her angel, she knew he would not do anything to harm her. She just knew that he did not suffer fools gladly and had a tendency to be impatient, especially during her first few lessons. She had not let that get her down at the time as, in her eyes, it had been constructive criticism and had helped her get her voice to the standard it was now which was a vast improvement to when they had started the lessons.

Turning her head, she caught sight of the tattered music and gave way to a flood of tears again.

"Christine my child"

His voice cut through her cries as she gathered up the bits of music in her hands

"Angel?" Christine gasped

"No more tears"

Her angel's voice seemed to surround her and she felt as if his words were wrapping themselves around her, comforting her.

"Angel, the beautiful music you gave me….."

She began to relax as she realised he was singing to her softly.

"Close your eyes, don't shed any more tears" he coaxed quietly

As if in a trance, she obeyed and smiled as his song lulled her into a feeling of security and serenity.

When all had gone silent, Christine opened her eyes and for some strange reason, instantly sensed that something was different. As she slowly got up off the bed, she looked around her and felt her eyes suddenly drawn to the fireplace. There was a single red rose placed on it, with a black ribbon tied around it. Glancing around to make sure no-one was about to enter the room, she walked cautiously towards the rose and noticed a note beside it. Picking them both up, she wandered to the window so that the light would allow her to read the note.

_Christine_

_Accept this rose as a gift from me, your Angel._

_I know there are times when you feel you are alone but rest assured, you are never alone. I am always there._

_Scatter the petals under your pillow to reassure you that I am always with you, even as you dream. Wear the ribbon in your hair so you can feel I am with you as you go about your day. _

_Your obedient friend_

_The Angel of Music_

Christine frowned as she finished reading the note. The words held within it had brought her great comfort but at the same time, immense unease.

_Rest assured, you are never alone_

That sentence seemed to echo in Christine's mind and she found it particularly disturbing. Was he really watching her all the time, even now?

She slowly untied the ribbon from around the rose and anxiously looked around as if trying to let her angel know that she was doing as he had asked. Brushing back a small amount of hair from her forehead, she tied it up in the ribbon and was surprised to suddenly feel a sense of calm replacing her paranoia.

"_He just means that he is watching over me, protecting me just as my father said he would" _She told herself.

Walking over to the mirror, she smiled as she saw the ribbon in her hair and slowly started tearing the petals off the rose.

The words that had only moments ago chilled her, were suddenly starting to warm her heart as she walked over to her bed and scattered the petals under her pillow.

_I am always there._

"Thank you father" she whispered "I don't need to fear anymore, my angel of music will look after me now"


	10. Chapter 10

**PART 10 – BEDTIME STORIES**

Christine tried to stifle a giggle as she watched the red faced drunk wrap his scarf around his neck and pretend to be hanging from a noose. He was always doing this whilst telling his stories of the opera ghost. It was getting late and the candlelight was flickering on the walls, giving the dormitory a sinister, spooky look which perfectly matched the theme of his tales. Christine and Meg were huddled on Christine's bed whilst Emilie was in the bed next to them, listening intently to Buquet.

He seemed to love the attention he got from the younger ballerinas who were currently surrounding him, sat on the floor, all transfixed with his storytelling. Some of them looked scared, some looked excited and some, like Christine, merely listened and didn't seem to take the man seriously.

"So this is why you must be careful," Buquet grinned fiendishly at the naïve ballerinas before him "and don't wander the opera house at night alone"

Christine rolled her eyes, as she sat up in her bed. She had heard these stories a million times.

"Do you think he will ever stop telling these stories?" she nudged Meg

"Ssssh!" Meg briefly turned her attention to Christine "He is right, you don't want to wander around alone, not with the opera ghost around"

"You don't believe its true do you?" Christine frowned

"I _know _its true"

"Don't be silly!" Emilie whispered "He just enjoys spooking the kids out"

"Have you ever wondered why Box 5 never gets taken?" Meg whispered to the two girls

"I hadn't really noticed" Christine shrugged as she pulled the bed covers up to her neck to warm herself up.

"Well it _never ever_ gets taken. You just look for yourselves and you will see I'm right" Meg smirked.

"So what are you saying?" Christine couldn't see where Meg was going with this. What could Box 5 possible have to do with the fictional phantom of the opera?

"We can't talk here" Meg got up off the bed and gestured for them to follow her.

Christine and Emilie threw questioning looks at each other and reluctantly followed Meg, passing the other ballerinas, still engrossed in Buquet's chilling description of the Phantom of the Opera.

"Where are we going?" Emilie questioned as they left the dormitory

"Backstage, there's no-one there, we won't be heard" Meg led them downstairs and through the winding corridors that led to the backstage area.

Giggling, the three girls clung onto each other, trying to find their way in the dark. The props from the current opera were scattered everywhere and looked very eerie in the shadows.

Meg, slowly sat down behind the curtains, and as the other girls did so, they held each others hand, all feeling a little scared sitting in the dark.

"I shouldn't tell you this" Meg whispered gravely "But I found a note in Lefevre's office just over a week ago"

"You were snooping in his office?" Emilie giggled "How did you manage to keep that secret for over a week?"

"I wasn't snooping, its just that the door was open and as I walked past, something on the floor caught my eye" Meg took a breath "It was an envelope with a broken red skull wax seal on it. It had been crumpled up and looked as if he was planning to dispose of it so I didn't see any harm in having a look"

Meg looked from Christine to Emilie to check that she had their full attention. When she was satisfied that they were focused on her, she continued

"As I said, the seal was broken so I just took out the note inside and read it" Meg lowered her voice "It was from HIM! The Phantom of the Opera"

"It must be a joke" Christine shook her head "There are no such things as ghosts or phantoms"

"And there is definitely no such thing as a literate ghost" Emilie chuckled "How would a ghost write a note?"

"Well this one did" Meg snapped "The note was setting out his demands, which I may add have all been met. Clearly, the manager believes he exists"

"What demands?" Christine shuffled, she was getting rather uncomfortable sitting on the cold floor.

"There were many ranging from the design of sets, the arrangements of arias" Meg tried to remember the many demands on the note "And I remember, they were all carried out"

"What has this got to do with box 5?" Emilie reminded Meg

"I was just getting to that" Meg sighed "In this note, the Phantom also directed that box 5 was to be left empty for him to use at every performance and ever since I found the note I have been looking to check"

"And it has been left empty?" Emilie frowned "That's unusual you would think Lefevre would want the money from people who would pay to sit in there"

"To my knowledge, the box has been left vacant for well over a week" Meg nodded "Lefevre obviously believes the note is really from the opera ghost"

"Maybe he is just being overly cautious" Christine shrugged "You don't have to worry Meg, there are no ghosts roaming the Opera Populaire"

All three of the girls gasped as they noticed the curtains move slightly. Springing up from the floor, they all backed away as they saw a figure emerge through the curtains from the stage, walking towards them.

"What nonsense you little brats speak!" Shantelle was holding a bunch of red roses and smirking as she saw the fear in their eyes

"What are you doing here?" Meg walked back towards her "You frightened us"

"I know. I heard you scaring yourselves with those ridiculous stories" She laughed and looked at them distastefully "Opera ghosts! What rubbish!"

"They are not rubbish" Meg spoke defiantly "They are true"

"You idiots will believe anything that Buquet tells you" Shantelle sniffed at the roses she was carrying and looked back at them "That note you found was probably just from Buquet trying to convince more gullible people about the stupid ghost"

"As much as we love your company, what are you doing here?" Emilie smiled sarcastically

"I am meeting an admirer. His name is Gerard" Shantelle pushed Meg out of her way "He left me these flowers and asked me to meet him here"

"Aw and he hasn't shown up?" Meg laughed "Poor Shantelle"

"He will show up" Shantelle flicked a strand of hair away from her face and glared at the girls

"Now get lost, he will be here soon and I don't want you losers around. Go and look for your ghost"

She looked at them in disgust and laughed as she walked back through the curtains onto the stage.

"Oh, that girl seriously gets on my nerves" Meg was about to walk after her but Christine stopped her by grabbing her arm

"No Meg! Remember what you told me before. We just have to try not to let them get us down"

"Yes, there is no point in going after her" Emilie nudged Meg towards the corridors "Lets go back to the dormitory, your mother will go mad if she realises we have been wandering about"

"I guess you're right" Meg reluctantly followed the girls back to the dormitory and sighed "I guess we will never really know if the ghost rumours are true"

Shantelle looked around the stage anxiously, why had her admirer not arrived yet?

She was glad those three brats had gone otherwise she would have felt foolish standing there waiting for so long.

A few hours before, the stage had been filled with light and song and now it just looked dark and eerie and Shantelle was starting to feel edgy. Moving to the centre of the stage, she looked out into the auditorium to see if anyone was sitting there but she could see no-one.

When she could bear the silence and the darkness no longer, she went to walk away, but was stopped by an arm which had reached out from behind the curtain.

"Gerard is that you?" Shantelle struggled to free her arm "Come out from behind there, you are hurting me"

"I will do more than hurt you if you don't shut up and listen"

The voice was harsh and angry and Shantelle gasped at the ferociousness of it.

"Please let me go"

As she struggled, she suddenly felt something touch her neck and before she could swing around, she was caught in a noose and she could feel it tightening around her throat.

"No, please no" she struggled

"Now do you believe that I exist?"


	11. Chapter 11

**PART 11 – SHANTELLE'S ORDEAL**

Shantelle only saw the dark figure briefly as the noose had been tightened, and now she could see nothing. He had turned her so she was facing out into the auditorium and he was still holding her from behind the curtain. She knew better than to try and escape for he had the noose tight around the neck and she was sure that to move would only make him tighten the lasso even more. She froze and stood rigidly on the stage, madly trying to think of what to do.

"What do you want?" She tried to sound confident but her trembling voice gave away her fear.

He gave a slight tug on the lasso, reminding her that she was completely at his mercy.

"If you want to live, I suggest you don't speak another word unless I ask you to."

The tone of his voice pierced through her soul and she stood, frozen in fear as tears of terror rolled down her pretty face. The flowers she had been holding fell to the floor and lay scattered around her feet.

"I…I just thought you would like to know…" Shantelle quivered, looking down at the flowers "…that s…someone is meeting me here"

"For a pretty girl, you really are quite dense" the Phantom hissed in her ear "You don't have an admirer. No one is coming here. I sent you those flowers so you would come here and I could make you listen to what I have to say"

Feeling his breath on her neck, she shivered and anxiously peered around the auditorium, hoping in vain that someone would appear to help her.

"No one will save you Shantelle" his voice thickened as he reminded her of the futility of her search for help. "Now, move as I direct. I don't want anyone finding your useless corpse here on the stage now do I!"

"No!" Shantelle cried as he started to tug at the lasso, leading through the curtains and away from the stage.

Shantelle gasped as she finally caught a glance of her tormentor. It was pitch black in the dark corridors but she could make out the white mask that covered half of his face. It was the look in his eyes that chilled her to the bone however. They were full of hatred and devoid of all mercy. Judging by the way he was glaring at her, she sensed that he would have no problem killing her at all. Never before had anyone looked at her with such distaste. Dressed head to toe in black, he was the most intimidating sight she had ever seen.

"The stables, they will do nicely" the Phantom tugged at the lasso harder, ensuring that she had no choice but to follow him "There we can have our talk and then I can decide what to do with you"

"Don't kill me!" Shantelle sobbed as she reluctantly followed him through the dark corridors of the Opera Populaire

"I will kill you right here and now if you utter another word before we get to the stables" he hissed, practically dragging her on.

Shantelle frantically tried to quieten her sobs as they made their way to the dark stables at the rear of the opera house. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she kept her eyes fixed on the Phantom's back as he dragged her on. She wanted to scream but every tug of the lasso reminded her how close she was to losing her life.

The Phantom swung open the door to the stables and urged her to move inside

"Get in there" he kept a tight hold of the lasso as she pushed her into the stables.

"What are you going to do?" she looked up at him with pleading eyes. She knew that this was no time to use flirtation and girlish charm, but it was the only weapon she had against the Phantom.

"Why would you want to hurt me?" she wiped away her tears and gave a struggled smile "I am just a ballerina, I have never wronged anyone. Why would you want to kill me?"

"Before I decide what to do with your worthless life, lets get acquainted" the Phantom drawled sarcastically "I know who you are Shantelle. On the outside you are what every little girl wants to be. A beautiful, talented dancer exuding grace and glamour from every pore"

"Please.."

As she could feel the noose tightening every so often around her white, smooth neck, her pleas for mercy got more frantic and urgent

"But inside…." The Phantom ignored her cries and continued "Inside is a completely different story"

"I don't know what you mean" Shantelle protested

"Inside, you are as ugly as my deformed face" he pointed at the mask "Underneath this mask lies ugliness you could not even begin to imagine"

"I'm sure its not that bad" Shantelle wanted to massage the Phantom's ego and hopefully somehow gain her freedom. She didn't care how ugly his face was, she just wanted to get out of this situation.

"It is" the Phantom nodded gravely

Shantelle ran her hand down his arm and stared into his cold, unfeeling eyes.

"Would making love to a beautiful girl make you feel attractive" she stood on her toes and seductively ran her tongue up the unmasked side of his face

"Whore!" he spat out as he pushed her away, keeping tight hold of the lasso.

Shantelle spluttered as she was pushed away and the noose increased pressure around her throat, restricting her lungs.

"As attractive as you are on the outside, its what is inside that sickens me" he angrily turned her around to face him "Your soul is about as ugly as it can be. And you would think I would want to sleep with you!"

"Then what is it you want?" Shantelle choked "What else could you possibly want? Money?"

"I want to get rid of you" he hissed as he encircled her, knowing that his movement was making the noose even more unbearable for the wretch. "I want you out of the Opera Populaire, never to return"

"But why? I don't understand….."

"Now Shantelle, there are two ways of achieving this" he taunted "One way, the way you will probably prefer is that you are to walk out of this place now and simply never come back"

"B…but"

"Or the other way, my personal favourite…" the Phantom smiled to himself "involves me tightening this noose and watching as your eyes bulge and you plead for your life"

He moved closer to her, so close she could feel his breath on her face

"I wouldn't listen of course, I am not a great believer in compassion, having never experienced it myself" the Phantom spoke bitterly "I would happily watch you die Shantelle"

Shantelle dissolved into tears, partly through fear and partly because she wouldn't know what to do if she left the Opera Populaire. Her parents would be furious and she couldn't imagine what else she would do with her life.

"I can't leave the Opera Populaire" Shantelle shook her head "I can't"

"Very well" the Phantom whispered calmly "I much preferred the other way anyway"

As she felt the noose quickly tightening and her breath taken away from her lungs, she frantically waved her arms, hitting the Phantom, trying to get his attention

"No!" she spluttered as she choked

He wasn't listening, he was hellbent on making this bully suffer.

"I'll go, I'll do whatever you ask" she managed to get the words out somehow as she could feel her eyes starting to bulge.

As he let go of the lasso, she fell to the ground, fighting for breath and frantically tearing the noose from around her neck. For a few minutes, she lay there sobbing and thankfully breathing in deeply, appreciating every bit of oxygen.

As she looked around, she could see the Phantom standing over her, glaring down at her with no remorse in his eyes.

"Get up!" he commanded

Silently, she obeyed, as her hands rubbed at where lasso had rubbed her throat.

The Phantom looked at her, feeling nothing but loathing and disgust. Despite her tears and her obvious pain, he felt no sorrow for her at all. Seeing her looking all pathetic and victimised just angered him even more.

Sneering, he pushed her into the stable wall, so hard she cried out in pain.

"Now I want you to leave this opera house for good, and I don't want you to mention me to anyone." he grabbed her face and squeezed it between his hands "Do you understand?"

She nodded frantically as he slowly let go of her face

"If you ever discuss me with anyone, I will know" he promised "and I will find you and next time, I will not spare your life"

Too scared to break away from his stare, she nodded again.

"Get out of here now" he snarled "Before I change my mind"

The Phantom chuckled to himself as he watched her pathetically run to the door. He felt no sympathy for this girl, she had got what was coming to her. In fact, he felt she had escaped lightly. After all, she had spent so long tormenting the younger ballerinas, she deserved a taste of her own medicine.

"Good riddance" he whispered as he walked through the door and headed back to his underground lair.


	12. Chapter 12

**PART 12 – PROGRESS**

Having just said her prayers, Christine rose up from her knees, picked up a candle and quietly left the chapel, making her way to the prima donna's dressing room. She had repeatedly thanked her father tonight for finally sending her the angel of music. She had waited so long and now he was finally here.

She pushed open the door to the dressing room, cautiously walked inside and lit a candle on the dressing table. The room instantly lit up and as she looked in the mirror, she gasped at the eerie sight of the candlelight flickering across her face, distorting her features.

"Christine"

As she heard her angel whisper, she sighed. He was here.

"Angel" she whispered "Thank you ever so much for the rose. I have never been given flowers before"

"Get used to it" he chuckled "By the time I have finished working with that wonderful voice of yours, you will be receiving flowers from men of very high status indeed"

He knew he was right. Once he was able to get her singing on that stage in front of everybody, she would be inundated with men, fighting to gain her attention. It was hard to imagine that now, looking at her, all cute and freckly with such a look of innocence in her eyes.

Blushing, she smiled and gave a girlish giggle. Apart from Raoul, she had never had much to do with boys, being so shy. Her angel's implication that she would be the focus of attention from men of high status made her feel a bit sick with excitement and partly dread.

"But men are not your concern yet" the voice spoke sternly "We have a lot of work ahead of us"

He could see that his promise of having men chasing her had intrigued her and he didn't want her thinking of courting yet. She was way too young and it would interfere with her music which was far more important. Boys would come and go, but this talent she had must be hers and his priority now.

"A…and you're n..not angry?" Christine had been surprised by the change of tone in his voice "About your beautiful music that Shantelle…"

The Phantom's lips pressed together tightly as that girl invaded his thoughts.

"Oh I am angry" he rasped harshly "Wildly angry"

Christine backed away towards the door, in fear

"I…I'm sorry, I..I…"

"No not angry at you" the Phantom spoke softly, reassuring her "I could never be angry at you, you are my little angel"

Christine frowned, unsure of how to deal with her angel's mood swings. Was this really the way angels were supposed to talk. An angry rasping voice one minute and a soft, gentle voice the next. Her mind was a whirl of confusion as she cautiously stepped forward, away from the door.

"Please, don't be afraid" the Phantom whispered gently "I am not angry at _you. _Not at all. It just upset me to hear you crying so heartbreakingly before"

Christine shrugged and sighed as she relaxed again, entranced by his kind tone.

"Shantelle and her friends are always mean to us angel"

"Well, you don't need to worry about that anymore" the Phantom smiled to himself "Your angel is going to make everything alright"

Christine closed her eyes and smiled

"Now, lets get started with what you have been practising"

"Well, I can only remember parts of it as Shantelle tore it up" Christine looked down at the floor, ashamed "But I could sing what I can remember, it was such a beautiful aria. I can remember the melody but, if you don't mind angel, may I hum the words I have forgotten"

"Please do"

Yet again, he found himself most pleased with the progress in her voice, even when she was humming. He gazed through the mirror, straining so he could see her little face light up as she sang, smiling brightly.

"What do you think of as you sing?" the Phantom enquired after she had finished

"My father" she smiled even brighter "and the happy times we had, singing and playing"

"I can hear the happiness in your voice, you are using what I have taught you so well" he spoke proudly "As I told you when we first started, to sing something well, you need to feel what the character feels and put the emotion into your voice. You are doing that excellently"

He could feel a tear in his eye, he actually felt very proud. He couldn't wait to unleash this talent on the world but he had to be patient. Both mentally and musically, as much as she delighted him, she wasn't ready yet and he must not push her.

"What makes _you_ happy angel?"

Her voice surprised him. So curious and mild, so interested. He found it hard to believe that such a pretty little girl would find what he had to say so interesting.

"Your voice makes me very happy indeed" he answered "But now you must go to bed my angel and dream of your glorious future"

Frowning, she looked around as if wondering where to address him. He never gave anything away about himself. Whenever she got close to questioning him, he would either end the lesson or change the subject entirely.

"Did you mean what you said in the note? That you are always there for me?" she whispered softly

"Yes, I always will be" he confirmed "Goodnight Miss Daae"

"Goodnight angel!" Beaming with pride and happiness, she left the dressing room and had to try very hard not to skip down the corridors for sheer joy.

Tip toeing happily down the corridor, she suddenly thought about Shantelle and wondered if her admirer had turned up. The flowers she had been holding had been beautiful, and Christine couldn't help thinking how lucky Shantelle was to have acquired admirers.

"_Well my angel says I will have admirers one day"_ she smiled to herself.

She wasn't sure whether that would ever actually happen but she was delighted with the progress her angel was achieving with her voice.


	13. Chapter 13

**PART 13 – NOTES**

As he finished writing the two notes, the Phantom, read through them and smiled. Now he had rid the Opera Populaire of Shantelle, he was sure that these notes would make Elita and Nicolette amend their ghastly ways. Carlotta, the prima donna was the only obstacle left in the company that made his opera house less than perfect but until Christine was ready to take her place, he would leave her be.

He had completed two separate notes to the two girls, in the hope that they wouldn't discuss them. Re-reading the notes again, he read one of them out aloud to himself.

"_Elita_

_You will note I have refrained from addressing you dear Elita for this would be extremely inappropriate. You are far from dear to me and to the other ballerinas who you continuously torment._

_As an example to Nicolette and yourself, I have sent Shantelle away from the Opera Populaire and she is never to return. I have made sure of that._

_However, due to my kind and forgiving nature, I am prepared to give you and Nicolette one more chance to change your ways and remain in the Opera Populaire. If you do not take this opportunity, I promise I will find you and I may not show you the mercy that I bestowed on Shantelle. Heed my warning and treat the others as your equals, for it is only age and experience that you surpass them in._

_Finally, you are not to discuss this note or the disappearance of Shantelle with anybody, not even with Nicolette, although she will be receiving this note also. _

_I DO NOT WISH TO BE DISCUSSED_

_Disobey me and you may or may not live to regret it_

_O.G"_

Content that the notes would have the effect he desired, he sealed them and put them aside. They would wait until he could pass them to Madame Giry. He would have to thank her one day for her assistance in helping him carry out his plans.

In the last few weeks, he had even started to feel that Madame Giry was starting to approve of his tuition of Christine. Despite her reservations, she had started to be more accommodating in helping the lessons to occur by ensuring that the prima donna's dressing room remained unlocked and that there was always a candle in there, ready to be lit by Christine.

He had only seen Madame Giry briefly in the last few weeks and again, she had re-iterated her concerns but had also admitted that she was glad that Christine was progressing so well and that he was pleased with her.

"Erik!"

The Phantom smiled as he turned and saw Madame Giry, walking up to him, a frown on her face.

"Annie, you should smile more" he teased "You look so stern and prim when you frown"

"Erik, what have you done?" she fiddled with her plait nervously

"I have no idea what you are talking about" he lied, a smirk crossing his face

"Don't play these games Erik" she looked him straight in the eye "Shantelle did not turn up for rehearsals today"

"Maybe she is offering herself to some randy man in a back alley somewhere" he retorted drily, remembering how she had offered herself to him

"Erik, tell me what you did" she sighed and sank down on a rock.

The Phantom walked down from his desk and handed the two letters to Madame Giry.

"Please distribute these" he spoke calmly "The letters explain to Nicolette and Elita that their friend will not be coming back"

"Have you killed her?" Madame Giry closed her eyes in dread.

"What kind of monster do you think I am?" the Phantom angrily walked towards the lake and turned back to Madame Giry

"I simply told her to leave"

"So you frightened her to death and threatened her?" Madame Giry shook her head "A sixteen year old girl!"

"She was a bully and a whore" he snarled "She even offered herself to me so I would let her go"

"She was afraid" Madame Giry explained, feeling slight pity for the girl "She would have offered anything"

"Getting rid of Shantelle was crucial to my plan" the Phantom sat down on a rock opposite Madame Giry "To excel, Christine needs her confidence to grow and that won't happen while there are bullies like Shantelle, tearing away at her self esteem"

"And what about Nicolette and Elita?" Madame Giry looked at the envelopes in her hand "Are they too to be driven out of the Opera Populaire?"

"No, not if they amend their ways" the Phantom looked at her seriously "they have a chance to stay"

"I can't make Christine the prima ballerina" Madame Giry frowned as she considered Shantelle's replacement "She is too young and not a good enough dancer"

"No, that is not my plan for her" the Phantom shook his head "She is a singer, not a dancer. You may replace Shantelle with whoever you choose"

"Thank you ever so much" Madame Giry retorted sarcastically

"Annie" he smiled and placed a hand on her arm "When Christine is singing in that auditorium, in front of everybody, you will realise that this has all been worth it"

"I hope you are right" Madame Giry nodded "I really do. I want the best for Christine but I cannot condone the threats Erik"

"You have no choice" he snapped "It is necessary"

"I am just wondering what else will be _necessary_" Madame Giry spoke with dread filling her voice

"Without their puppet master, Nicolette and Elita will no longer be the bullies they were." the Phantom tried to reassure her "and the younger ballerinas will be able to live without fear of being bullied or humiliated"

Madame Giry got up and dusted her dress down

"I will distribute these letters somehow"

"Thank you" the Phantom nodded "You are a great help"

"I want Christine to do well and be happy too" Madame Giry smiled as she walked back to the mirror entrance she entered through "I just worry about your methods"

The Phantom smiled as he watched her disappear through the tunnel. He knew she would help him by distributing the letters. Deep down, she must know that everything he was doing was for the good of Christine.


	14. Chapter 14

PART 14 – CHRISTINE'S 16TH BIRTHDAY

The Opera Populaire's chapel was dark and cold but Christine's heart felt warm and bright as she prayed to her father.

Life was good at the Opera Populaire. Since Shantelle's departure from the company around 5 years ago, the intimidating and nastiness had stopped and even Nicolette and Elita had seemed much nicer people. Now, they had progressed to be senior chorus girls but had treated the young ballerinas with respect all the same. They still had an air of arrogance about them, but they never insulted, intimidated or upset the ballerinas in any way. They just got on with the rehearsals and caused no trouble for anyone.

There was something very mysterious about Shantelle's departure. Christine hadn't seen her since that night when she had been waiting for an admirer on the stage, and she hadn't given any indication then of her intention to leave the Opera Populaire. In fact, she had seemed quite content, especially as she had acquired an admirer. However, a few days later after Shantelle had missed a few rehearsals, Madame Giry had read a note out, sent from Shantelle which confirmed her departure, without giving any real reason why.

Still, her departure had greatly improved the atmosphere at the Opera Populaire and the new prima ballerina, Annabella was proving to be a great growing talent. She had such grace and elegance, both in her performance and in her manner. She also resided at the Opera House, which meant she had managed to integrate with all the company rather well.

Also, new at the Opera Populaire, were two new ballerinas, Brigitte and Josette, two sixteen year old girls who never seemed to be apart. They were lovely girls, always giggling and telling rude and amusing stories. They were very promiscuous girls who seemed to flirt with all men at the Opera Populaire, the stagehands, Piangi (much to his lover, Carlotta's disgust) and pretty much any man who entered the Opera Populaire. They were still very likeable girls, who had injected a much needed fun boost at the Opera Populaire. Of course, they often managed to infuriate Madame Giry with their playing about in rehearsals, but they had proved to be very accomplished dancers and despite their messing about, always managed to succeed in perfecting the dance moves.

Her thoughts went back to her father as she considered her imminent 16th birthday which would be in a few minutes time.

"Oh father, I can hardly believe that it is over 6 years since I last saw you, and heard you play your violin" she sighed "I can still hear the tunes you used to play in my head, along with the voice of my angel"

Over the five years that she had been receiving lessons from her angel, she had still managed to find out very little about him but he had often questioned her about her life, and feelings. He had listened attentively as she had talked of her time in Le Havre with her father and Raoul and seemed genuinely interested in hearing her speak of herself which had touched Christine. Apart from praying to her father, she had no-one in the Opera Populaire to have deep meaningful conversations with and her angel had proved to be a great listener. Meg was a very close friend, they had great times together but she just didn't feel that she could talk with her like she could to her angel. He had always managed to console her in times of sadness and rejoice with her in times of happiness, particularly when it involved progress with her voice.

"My voice is getting so good now father, I fear you would barely recognise it" she smiled "Your angel has helped me so much. Thank you father"

Feeling excited, she got up and hurriedly walked to the prima donna's dressing room to begin her next lesson with her angel.

The Phantom smiled as he gazed upon the present he was about to give Christine for her sixteenth birthday. A wonderful glistening blue stone set in a silver clasp on a silver chain. It really was beautiful, not as beautiful as her, but beautiful all the same. Quickly, so as to be out of the room before she arrived, he placed it on the dressing table, next to the usual red rose with black ribbon. He had taken to giving this to her regularly as a symbol of his love and affection for his angel. As she had done five years ago, she still continued to sprinkle the petals underneath her pillow and wear the ribbon in her hair.

Stepping back behind the mirror, he smiled as he thought of how this girl had grown. In the five years he had been coaching her, he had took great pleasure in watching the shy, freckly little girl bloom into a beautiful, captivating and very talented young lady and it had both surprised and concerned him at the affect she was having on his life. She _was_ his life. The reason he woke in the morning, and the reason he worked so diligently on arias for her to sing.

Madame Giry had also been expressing concern at how the Phantom's obsession for the girl had developed. Still, what did she know. He had managed to get Christine's voice to a staggering standard of ability and he was sure that the time was near when he would be able to unleash her awesome talent on the world.

The effect her voice had on him was nothing short of mesmerising. He just couldn't take his eyes off her as she sang.

He also liked to listen to her speak of herself too, everything about her intrigued him. This unfortunately meant that she had been inspired to ask questions about him but so far, he had managed to get around them without revealing too much about himself.

She had changed his life, and he was happy to realise that he had changed hers also. She was constantly thanking him for his tuition and wondering how she would ever repay him.

She could never grant him what he longed for however, for he feared that he had fallen in love with the girl. Of course, he could never disclose this to her, as to her he was just her angel of music and he had no right to demand feelings of love from her. Just to hear her sing and speak to him was enough. More than he could have ever dreamed of. He had never imagined he would fall in love, had never even wanted to for fear of what hurt it would bring. Her beauty and kindness had demanded his affections however and despite his protestations, he had found himself falling deeper and deeper in love with her every time he saw her.

His heart skipped a beat as he saw her step into the room

"Angel?" she whispered "Are you there?"

"Yes" the Phantom whispered back "Happy birthday my angel"

"Thank you" she walked over to the dressing table and lit the candle.

On noticing the rose, she picked it up and smelt it

"Oh angel!"

"There is more Christine" he urged her to look at the small box next to the rose.

Frowning with curiousity, she noticed the little blue jewellery box and smiled. He had never actually given her a gift before, other than the roses. Slowly, she opened it and gasped when she saw the stone glisten in the candlelight

"Its beautiful" she ran the chain through her fingers "This must have cost a lot of money"

It had cost quite a bit but then the Phantom had little else to spend the regular 20,000 francs on that he was given by the manager. For the first time in years, he had ventured out of the Opera Populaire very late at night and had looked in the jewellery shop window to see what would look best on his angel. He had fallen in love with this necklace straight away and had asked Madame Giry to go and purchase it the very next day. Of course, he had also instructed her to find something for herself as a thank you for doing this for him. She had come back with a new plain dress, practical as always.

"It is nearly as beautiful as you are" he uttered quietly.

She blushed at his words and immediately put the necklace on, smiling at her reflection in the mirror.

The Phantom wished so much that he could be there behind her now, lifting her beautiful dark curls up, tying the necklace around her neck and telling her she looked beautiful.

So far, he had managed well to hide his love for her and it was crucial that he continued to do so. He was just dreading the day when she would begin courting, he knew he would find that hard to cope with but so far, he hadn't needed to worry. He had been the only male she had given any kind of attention to and that touched his heart. Of course, he had to accept that her feelings for him would never be similar to his feelings for her but he could still wish, couldn't he. The only man she had ever mentioned had been a boy she had met years ago by the name of Raoul. It had seemed like a childhood love and it hadn't affected the Phantom to hear her speak of him. After all, it was in the past and the chances of her ever meeting up with Raoul again were very slim.

As he watched her smiling at her reflection and gazing upon the necklace in approval, he felt a slight pang of sadness in his heart to realise that he would one day have to watch as she fell in love herself and that one day, he would no longer be teaching her. He would lose his angel.

"_Concentrate on the here and now" _he consoled himself in his mind _"Because soon, there are going to be very exciting times ahead for you both"_

"Thank you so much" Christine spoke happily "I will wear it forever"

"The best present is yet to come"

"What more could I possibly wish for?" she laughed "You have turned my life around angel with your tuition and …..for just being there"

"Soon, we are going to achieve what we started out to achieve five years ago" the Phantom was trying very hard to sound calm although, inside he was jumping with excitement "What opera are you currently rehearsing?"

"Chalemeau's Hannibal" she frowned "But what…."

"You will be playing the role of Elissa" he announced proudly

"Oh no, that is Carlotta's role, we have already started rehearsing" Christine sighed "I am nowhere near good enough for that anyway"

"You are more than good enough" the Phantom protested "All you have to do is learn the words to Elissa's songs and the role will be yours"

"I already know most of them but…"

"The music is on the dressing table" the Phantom watched as she picked it up "We shall run though it now and see how you fare but I am confident in you Christine".

As he listened to her singing "Think of Me" he was more convinced than ever that his confidence had not been misplaced. She would have the role of Elissa, he would make sure of that somehow.


	15. Chapter 15

PART 15 – SUSPICION

Christine slumped against the curtains as Madame Giry finally called the rehearsal to an end. She had really worked them hard today, and Christine had given it her all. She felt so happy, that she could burst. She had caught Madame Giry smiling at her in approval every now and again, and it gave her such a boost of confidence that she hadn't faltered once today.

"Oh Christine"

Meg ran up to her and caught her in a huge embrace

"I have been dying to talk to you for hours." she laughed breathlessly "but mother worked us so hard then, I never thought she would stop. Anyway, happy birthday"

"Thank you" Christine wiped a bead of sweat away from her forehead "But I did really enjoy that rehearsal, I feel so alive now"

"You are crazy" Meg linked arms with her "and my mother is a slave driver"

"Well you are slaves in this opera," Madame Giry, on overhearing their conversation, strolled up to them and smiled "and besides, I worked you hard today for a reason"

"Oh really?" Meg frowned "Are you trying to kill us so we don't reach our 17th birthdays?"

"No" Madame Giry gave a teasing smile and whispered "I wish to take you both and Emilie for a meal at the bistro tonight"

"Oh mother!" Meg squealed in excitement

"Keep it down child!" Madame Giry hushed Meg "I can't afford to take everybody, just you two and Emilie. I have been saving and I wanted to take you as a special treat for Christine's 16th birthday"

"Oh Madame, you can't afford that" Christine smiled "I can't expect you to, not on my account"

"The table is booked for 6" Madame Giry whispered "Don't tell the other girls, I know I am not obliged to take them with us but I don't want any bad feeling"

"I'll go and tell Emilie now" Meg excitedly skipped away, heading for the dormitories.

As she watched Meg skipping away, Christine's smile faded as she suddenly remembered her angel. She simply could not miss her singing lesson with him, she had to be there! Especially after he had given her the beautiful necklace.

"Madame, I cannot stay out too late. I have to be back here for…."

Madame Giry, on noticing the necklace around Christine's neck, smiled and touched it with her long, elegant finger. Erik would be so happy to see her wearing it.

"This is beautiful" she remarked as she gazed at the necklace she had purchased for Erik only yesterday.

"Yes…I" Christine frantically tried to think of a story to explain how she had obtained the necklace "I bought it myself"

"Really?" Madame Giry smiled knowingly "Don't worry my child, I will ensure you are back here in plenty of time"

At that, she quickly moved away, muttering that she had things to do, leaving Christine staring in surprise at her departing figure. What had Madame Giry meant when she had promised that Christine would be back in plenty of time. Plenty of time for what?

_She knew!_

"No" Christine muttered to herself "That's impossible"

But that was the only explanation for the looks Madame Giry had just given her. As if she knew everything. But how could she?

"Oh Christine!" Meg ran over to Christine, swiftly followed by Emilie "Emmy is so excited"

"I am" Emilie grinned "I love the food at the bistro, and the music"

"Yes, it will be wonderful" Christine tried to sound excited.

It wasn't that she didn't feel excited, she did. Like Emilie, she loved the bistro and was really looking forward to it. However, the brief conversation she had just shared with Madame Giry was constantly replaying in her mind. She could tell that Madame Giry hadn't believed her when she had lied about buying the necklace. It had been an awful lie, she knew that. Madame Giry would know that there was no way Christine could have afforded it, but that wasn't what concerned her. What concerned her was that Madame Giry hadn't questioned her further about the necklace, as if she hadn't needed to. As if she knew full well where the necklace had come from.

"Christine" Meg snapped her fingers in front of Christine's face "Are you with us?"

"Sorry?" Christine tried to dismiss her thoughts and focus on the conversation

"I was just asking you what you are going to wear" Meg linked arms with Emilie and Christine as they slowly made their way back to the dormitories

"I…I don't know" Christine frowned, unable to concentrate on such trivial things as dresses.

"We will help you decide" Emilie smiled brightly "And in return, you can help me. I haven't a clue what to wear"

Christine allowed the girlish chatter to wash over her as they entered the dormitory and Meg frantically threw every dress she owned onto her bed and held it against her body, constantly asking if it looked good. She sank down onto her bed as Meg, reached for the last dress.

"Oh that dress looks wonderful" Emilie clasped her hands together with glee as Meg held a floaty green dress against her body

"Really?" Meg, ran her hands along the fabric and turned to Christine "What do you think?"

"It looks lovely Meg" Christine smiled in agreement

"Oh I am going to wash my hair" Emilie leapt up excitedly and headed for the bathroom. "I want to look my best tonight"

Meg watched as Emilie left the room and dropped the dress on the bed. With concern in her eyes, she sat down next to Christine and sighed.

"Christine, what is wrong? You seem distant"

"I'm fine" Christine lied

"There has been something very different about you lately" Meg frowned, as if studying Christine's face "You seem so far away sometimes"

"I'm sorry" Christine smiled "I don't mean to be"

Maybe she had been distant. After all, she spent most of her time listening to her angel's voice, singing beautiful songs in her head. Sometimes, she wouldn't even realise she was doing it, and that someone was talking to her, trying to get her attention.

"I don't mind, as long as you are alright" Meg placed a hand on Christine's arm.

Meg wished she knew what it was about Christine that had changed. She just couldn't put a finger on it, but something in the last few years had changed her. She had seemed to increase in confidence somewhat and, at the same time, seemed to be a constant dreamer. You could look straight into her eyes sometimes and she would look straight through you, as if she wasn't even aware that you were speaking to her. It worried Meg to see her friend so distant, but Christine had always reassured her that everything was alright and she deeply wanted to believe her.

"Anyway" Christine rose up off the bed and walked to her cupboard "You have decided what to wear, now you need to help me"

Christine allowed Madame Giry to be pushed to the back of her mind as Meg assisted her in deciding what she should wear. They eventually decided on a pale blue dress, with white lace edges, which Christine held up against her body, admiring it in the mirror. Her blue necklace glistened in the light that flooded in through the windows, and Christine was astonished at how well it seemed to match the dress.

"That is perfect" Meg looked at the necklace in admiration "Mother was right, that necklace does go perfect with that dress"

"W..what?" Christine was puzzled. Why would Meg and her mother be discussing the necklace?

"Mother told me she bought you that necklace for your birthday because she knew it would go with one of your dresses and she was right"

"Oh…yes of course" Christine frowned in confusion.

What was going on? Why had Madame Giry implied that she had bought the necklace, and why had she acted as if she knew where it actually had come from. Unless Madame Giry knew of her angel of music, none of this made sense and yet her knowing about her angel made no sense either. Why would he make himself known to anyone but Christine?

As she looked down at the beautiful necklace her angel had given her, she felt her mind spiralling into confusion. If Madame Giry did know something, exactly how much did she know.

She was barely paying attention as Meg was fussing around her, fiddling with her hair, twisting it this way, then that way. However, as Meg started tugging the black ribbon out of her hair, she reacted instantaneously.

"No, Meg, what are you doing?" she snapped

"Taking this black ribbon out, you need something blue in your hair to go with your outfit" Meg continued to tug at the ribbon.

"The ribbon stays in" Christine moved away from Meg "Do what you like with my hair, as long as you leave the black ribbon in somewhere"

"Alright alright" Meg frowned "We will leave the ribbon in. Goodness Christine, anyone would think I had tried to kill you"

"Sorry, I just like the ribbon" Christine mumbled.

As Meg continued to brush her hair and tie parts of it up, Christine suddenly realised how distant she had become. Fancy overreacting like that over a mere ribbon!

This infatuation with her angel and her quest to constantly please him was starting to become unhealthy. Never before had she snapped at anyone like that! It was most out of character for her to behave in such a way.

She just felt that if she had taken the ribbon out, her angel would have been angry with her, and she felt somehow compelled to obey everything he said. All those years ago he had directed her to scatter the rose petals under her pillow and to wear the ribbon in her hair, as a constant reminder of his presence and unquestioningly she had met his demands ever since.

"_What is wrong with me?"_ Christine thought to herself _"How have I let myself be so dominated by my angel?"_

She hated these suspicious thoughts that were running around her head. She couldn't understand why it unnerved her so much to think that Madame Giry knew of her angel but it did. It disturbed her greatly as she had always thought that he was her own secret and now she just didn't know who to trust.

As if by magic, her angel's voice starting singing in her head, and instantly she was reminded of everything he had taught her, the priceless gift of song that he had given to her. Closing her eyes, she made a silent promise to her angel

"_I will not let you down. Never. I will let your voice shape my future and guide my soul"_


	16. Chapter 16

PART 16 – THE BISTRO

The Bistro was alive with atmosphere and song that night as Christine, Meg, Emilie and Madame Giry heartily tucked into their meals. Everywhere you looked, people were happily dancing, talking, drinking and generally having a very good time. This is how it often was in the Bistro, a well known place to be for the Parisian locals who enjoyed a spot of singing and dancing.

As they tucked into their meals, Christine took a glance at the people who were in the Bistro that night. Madame Giry needn't have worried about people feeling left out of being invited to the Bistro as quite a few of the company were there anyway.

Lefevre, the Opera Populaire's manager was sitting with a very pretty woman, and seemed to be very much taken by her charm as they spoke. Christine smiled as she watched the scene, hoping that the kindly man would find love again some day. It had been many years since the death of his wife, Christine had never even met her as she had died before her arrival at the Opera Populaire. He was a humble and generous man, well loved by the company and visitors to the Opera Populaire. However, there had been whispers amongst the company that he was planning to retire sometime soon and Christine hoped that this woman could be the reason why.

As Christine's eyes adjusted to the dimly lighted Bistro, she could make out Brigitte and Josette who were flirting outrageously with a group of men sitting in a dark corner, smoking cigars.

She had been waiting anxiously to snatch a moment alone with Madame Giry. She just had to know what was going on. Somehow, she needed to ask Madame Giry exactly what she knew and why she knew. So many questions and no logical answers.

As they finished their meals, Meg eagerly jumped out of her chair and was instantly tugging at Christine's dress.

"Christine, lets go and dance. The band is wonderful tonight"

Christine glanced over to where the small band were seated, consisting of accordions, a few violins, double bass and whoever volunteered to go up and sing. It had been a fabulous night of good food and song and Christine had wholeheartedly enjoyed it but right now, there were more pressing things on her mind.

"No Meg" she shook her off "I am still feeling rather full after the food, why don't you and Emilie have a dance"

"Alright" Meg smiled "But I will be coming back for you later"

As Meg danced over to Emilie, Christine turned her eyes to Madame Giry who was just about to leave the table.

"I am just getting a drink"

"No please Madame" Christine urged her to sit back down "I simply must thank you for tonight. Its been wonderful"

"I'm glad you have enjoyed yourself" Madame Giry sat back down in her seat, smiling, both anxious and relieved that Christine hadn't questioned her about Erik. "You have been working hard lately"

Christine took a deep breath, finally ready to question Madame Giry

"I have" she nodded "Do you what it is that has been influencing me to work so hard, what has been helping me?"

Madame Giry looked away. She so badly wanted to confess to Christine exactly what she knew of her angel but felt loyalty bound to Erik also. She had been concerned to see Erik's determination to coach Christine turn into something far different. He had become infatuated with the girl, and it greatly worried Madame Giry to think what might become of his obsession. She wished so much that Christine was able to confide in her about Erik so she could help her if ever she needed her to.

It had both warmed her heart and chilled her soul to see the love in Erik's eyes as he spoke of Christine's voice. It was clear that Erik had never expected to experience love and it both surprised and scared him. However, Madame Giry knew that it could all only end in grief and tragedy, she just knew it in the pit of her stomach.

She looked up at Christine's questioning face and shook her head

"I have no idea what is influencing you, maybe…"

"I don't believe you" Christine looked straight into her eyes "You know something Madame, I know it. Please tell me. Do you know the identity of my secret tutor?"

For what seemed like forever, they stared at each other, as if hoping the other would back down.

Finally Madame Giry sighed

"Christine, there are some things that should always remain unspoken" she nodded, confirming the answer to Christine's question, without actually having to say the words.

Christine nodded in understanding. She suddenly felt much more relaxed to have her fears confirmed. It was clear from Madame Giry's eyes that she did not wish to discuss the matter further so Christine didn't press her.

Madame Giry smiled, glad that Christine obviously wasn't going to question her any further.

"I am so glad you came to the Opera Populaire Christine" she took hold of Christine's hand "I really do consider you as my own daughter, I hope that doesn't make you feel uncomfortable"

"Not at all, you are a mother to me" Christine smiled back warmly, glad that there were now no secrets between them

"To see you grow and blossom into this 16 year old girl before me now has been wonderful Christine. I worried for you so much when you first came to live with us"

"Things were, still are sometimes difficult for me, without my father" Christine looked down at her beautiful necklace and smiled "But I am being helped in so many ways"

"They are both proud of you" Madame Giry rose up out of her chair

Christine knew who she meant by _both_Her father, and her angel.

"I hope so"

"Without a doubt" Madame Giry, moved away from her chair "Would you like a drink Christine?"

"No thank you"

As she watched Madame Giry walk away, she felt so happy that there was now someone else who knew what she was going through with her angel. She had thought it would worry her that someone else knew but it didn't, she just felt relieved. Of course, it was clear that the subject was not to be discussed, but at least she knew now. She felt closer to Madame Giry than ever which was a miracle in itself. There were very few people who could get close to Madame Giry.

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted as Meg & Emilie breathlessly giggled and made their way back to the table.

"Alright alright, I'll dance" Christine laughed, waiting for them to start tugging on her arms.

"No, we're not here for that" Meg giggled as Emilie produced a beautiful gift box from under the table and handed it to Christine

"We put our money together to get you something for your birthday" Emilie smiled "It is truly beautiful, I hope you like it"

"We wanted to get you something special, something grown up as its your 16th" Meg excitedly explained.

Christine frowned suspiciously as she looked at the package

"Its not rude is it?" she blushed "You didn't get ideas from Brigitte & Josette did you?"

Christine glanced over to where the two giggly promiscuous ballerinas were sitting on two drunk men's laps, drinking big glasses of beer. She loved them both dearly but the thought of them having anything to do with buying her birthday present worried her a lot.

"Oh just open it Christine" Meg urged

"It's not naughty knickers or anything" Emilie giggled, noticing Christine's obvious embarrassment.

She slowly opened the package.

"White lace" Christine smiled relieved "Now I know this is nothing to do with Brigitte & Josette. If it had been, the colour would have been red or black"

"We picked it ourselves, we thought it was perfect for you Christine" Meg started playing with one of Christine's curls as she carried on unwrapping the present.

When she had eventually disposed of the wrapping, Christine held up the beautiful white dressing gown so she could see it properly.

"Christine, you shouldn't be showing everyone your nightwear!" Madame Giry returned to the table with a drink.

Blushing, Christine held it down in front of her.

"Oh thank you" she looked at both Meg & Emilie "It's wonderful"

"We thought we would get you something posh" Meg smiled "Christine, you will look beautiful in it"

"But when am I ever going to wear something so extravagant?" Christine gazed in wonder at the white satin and lace, running her fingers over it "I would look so out of place in the dormitory"

"You can wear it when you get to change in the prima donna's dressing room one day" Meg smiled and touched Christine's arm

"Oh stop" Christine had heard her angel speak in this manner so many times but never once had she dared to believe

"We believe in you Christine" Emilie encouraged

"We certainly do" Madame Giry nodded

"And of course, one day when you marry the man of your dreams, you could wear this on your wedding night" Meg winked

"Oh Meg" Christine laughed "I don't think it would be in any good condition to wear by then"

"I have noticed many men looking at you tonight Christine" Meg glanced around at the men in the bistro "They probably want to dance with you"

Christine glanced around at where Meg was looking and sure enough, a group of men were sitting in a corner drinking, and one of the men did seem to be paying a lot of attention to Christine. They were all very handsome men too but there was one thing in Christine's mind that made her hold back from dancing.

_Her angel._

She somehow felt she would be betraying him. As stupid as that was, she just couldn't shake the feeling that, to let a man hold her, and dance with her would be somehow breaking her loyalty to her angel. It was no good to protest that her angel would never find out as she knew that would not be true. He was always there, always! She could feel his presence even now, in a smoke and song filled bistro.

"We should be leaving soon" Madame Giry interrupted, concerned.

She had seen the look in Christine's eyes and shared the same feeling of unease. What if Erik had found out that she had danced with someone? What would he do? She felt that she knew Erik pretty well but Erik in love was a different matter entirely.

"Oh but she hasn't had a dance yet" Meg whined "Its her birthday!"

"Oh very well!" Madame Giry reluctantly gave in "But we must leave at 10"

After all, Meg was right. It was Christine's birthday and she was a young girl, a young kind natured girl who deserved a dance on her 16th birthday! As concerned as Madame Giry was about the reaction of Erik, she couldn't deny Christine her dance.

"Please, I really don't want to…." Christine's objections were ignored as Meg and Emilie linked arms with her and strolled over to the handsome men.

Christine watched silently as Meg and Emilie chatted to the men, who did seem pleasant enough. She listened as they spoke of the Opera Populaire and the band who were playing tonight in the bistro.

"So today is your birthday?" the man who had been gazing at Christine previously held out his hand "Miss?"

"Daae, Christine Daae" Christine shook hands with the man "And yes, I am 16 today"

She felt herself relax as they all got talking. The nice young man who had shook her hand was called Jaques Carriere and he had shown a great deal of interest in Christine and her life at the Opera Populaire.

Even Madame Giry had joined them and they were all happily talking, drinking and listening to the music together. The conversation seemed to flow well and for a short while, Christine had managed to put to the back of her mind all thoughts of betrayal to her angel.

"Miss Daae?" Jaques smiled "Would you care to dance with me?"

Instantly, he was back in her mind, his voice penetrating her thoughts like a knife. She looked away as she frantically searched for a reply.

"Please, call me Christine" she managed

"Of course she will dance" Meg giggled and shot Christine some encouraging looks

Christine reluctantly allowed him to move her towards the dancefloor with the other revellers.

'_Why should I feel guilty anyway?' _she reasoned with herself _'My angel doesn't own me and surely he would want me to enjoy my birthday. I have no need to feel guilt'_

But she did.

In fact, it was all she could feel as the handsome man swept her over the floor, a very graceful dancer. Instead of excitement and joy, all Christine could feel was a lingering sense of betrayal and a deep longing to be back at the Opera Populaire.

After what seemed like an eternity of awkward intimacy and movement, Christine started to tense up as her angel remained fixed in her mind. So vivid, as if he was standing there, gazing on at them in disapproval.

_And yet, why should he disapprove? _

Over the years, Christine had gained a very unexplainable bond with her angel. She trusted him implicitly with her heart, even though sometimes her mind questioned the hold he seemed to have on her. She was a young, pretty girl who was entitled to go out, have a good time and court men if she wished and yet something in her heart was holding her back, making her feel that it was wrong.

"Are you ok?" Jaques eyes were full of concern "You look very uncomfortable, did I step on your toe or something?"

"I….I..I think I should go" Christine pulled away from his arms and stepped back "I'm sorry, I…I just"

Christine could think of a million reasons why she should stay but only one reason why she should leave but that one reason seemed far more important than anything else right now.

"I have to go" she turned away, quickly grabbed her blue shawl and headed for the door.

As she left, she could hear Meg and Emilie calling out to her, but she kept on going, she

had to get back to the Opera Populaire, she just had to.

As she emerged into the cold March night air, she shivered and wrapped her shawl around her. It was extremely dark, so not too much could be seen in the bleakness, but something on the ground, on top of the snow, caught her eye. As she looked down, she gasped and her hand covered her mouth in surprise. For there on the floor lay a dark red rose, and around the stem was tied a black ribbon.


	17. Chapter 17

PART 17 – FORGOTTEN ANGEL

As the Phantom arrived back at his underground lair, he gave out a loud, tormented bellow that seemed to bounce off every wall, as he pushed candle stands over and kicked anything in his way.

_His angel!_

Although he was frantically trying not to, he kept thinking back to all he had just witnessed through the small window at the Bistro. He had hidden in the shadows, away from view, just so he could keep watch over his beloved angel as she celebrated her birthday. It had gone so well at the beginning of the night. Christine had seemed to enjoy her food and had looked as if she was having a good time. Then he had seen her having an intimate discussion with Madame Giry, about him no doubt! It gave him a strange sort of pleasure to imagine his angel speaking of him. But only with Madame Giry, to speak of him with anyone else could be disastrous. After that conversation, Christine had seemed to relax and it was then that the Phantom had started to have to look away every now and again from what he was seeing.

They had gone over to sit with some men on another table and he had suffered watching Christine sitting and talking closely with a handsome young man. Without even knowing the man's name, the Phantom hated him with a passion for he obviously possessed the two things the Phantom would never have. Handsomeness and youth, the latter of which he had experienced but regrettably not enjoyed. Of course, this man's youth would be a vast contrast to his own. No gypsies, no tauntings, no cruel beatings, no ugliness in his world!

It had killed him as he had watched the man shake her hand.

"_Oh, how I would kill to touch that hand"_

The Phantom, exhausted from his outburst, sank down in front of his swan bed and looked straight ahead, at nothing.

A simple touch. That boy had taken it so easily, as if it was nothing to him. Of course, it probably wasn't. He probably shook the hands of beautiful women every day but then his angel was not just any woman. Oh no, no woman could possibly compare.

As he had surveyed the cosy scene in the Bistro, the Phantom had felt that his worst nightmare was being played out in front of him, like some sick performance set up to torture him. This was exactly what he had spent the last year or so dreading, knowing that it was inevitable. He had always known that this day would come and yet that had not prepared him for the pain he was now suffering. He hadn't imagined that it would all happen so soon, so fast and he certainly hadn't expected to feel this much hurt.

However, the worst was yet to come. A sick feeling had consumed his stomach and his heart as he watched the man take hold of Christine's hand and lead her to the dancefloor.

"No" he had murmured in pain as his eyes took in the dreadful scene before him "Not my angel, no"

Tears had fallen down his cold face as he watched the man's arm snake around Christine's body, pulling her close to him. He had briskly brushed them away as they had stung on his face with the night being so icy cold. At that point, he felt it best to leave for fear of what he would do. He had not yet accomplished Christine's dream and to get caught by somebody now would ruin everything they had strived for the last five years and he wouldn't do that. No matter how his angel had forgotten him, he would never forget her and he would never rest until that prima donna dressing room was hers.

And yet, how quickly, how easily she had forgotten him. After five years of tuition, one handsome man had managed to erase him from her mind completely so easily. He wondered if she had even thought of him at all tonight. He doubted she would even show up for her lesson at all. She would probably spend hours entwined in the arms of that boy, getting to know him. Then at the end of the night, just as they were parting, she would smile that gorgeous coy smile of hers and lean forward and …..

"_NO… No. I mustn't think of it!" _he reminded himself.

She was his and he was hers, that was just the way it was. Two souls entwined together, nothing, no man or anything in this world could change that They had forged a close relationship over the last few years and that young idiot had no right to just walk into Christine's life and think he could touch her in that way, or in any way at all.

After witnessing the dance, he had angrily threw the rose he was carrying onto the ground.

"_Maybe that will remind her of her angel"_ He had snarled as he had turned and strode away from the Bistro, angrily crunching the snow underneath his feet.

As the events at the Bistro continued to torture his tormented mind, he allowed the tears to roll down his face, and thought of his beautiful Christine and the face he would never touch, the lips he would never kiss and the hands he would never hold. For the first time for years, the Phantom was suddenly aware of how totally lonely he was and how cruel life could be.


	18. Chapter 18

PART 18 - BACK AT THE OPERA POPULAIRE

Quickly glancing around to see no-one was around, Christine hid the rose in her shawl and started to run to resume her journey back to the Opera Populaire. In her haste, she slipped on the snow and fell down.

"Oh no" she whispered to herself

She lifted the rose from under her shawl to check she hadn't crushed it and frantically looked all around her for any sign of her angel.

"I'm sorry angel" she uttered into thin air "I never meant to betray you and I certainly would never mean to hurt you"

She gazed lovingly at the red rose in her hand and stroked the petals with her finger. On hearing footsteps, she quickly put the rose back in her shawl and whirled around to see who was pursuing her.

"Child, what do you think you are doing going into the dark like that?" Madame Giry came striding out of the Bistro towards her.

"I can't go back in there" Christine pleaded "I can't dance with that man, I just can't"

Madame Giry nodded, as if she understood and held out her hand to help Christine up from the ground. Christine took her hand and once she was standing again, wiped the snow off her clothes.

"You don't have to dance with anybody Christine" Madame Giry slipped an arm around Christine's shoulders, in a caring embrace.

"He wouldn't like it, I just know he wouldn't" Christine babbled on, her voice becoming quick and erratic "And I would never want to hurt his feelings Madame, never. He has done so much for me, and…"

"Enough" Madame Giry frowned "Stop this foolish talk"

As she looked down on the poor young girl shivering next to her, she felt a great deal of concern consume her mind. It worried her greatly that Erik seemed to have so much power over Christine and that she was obviously too young to deal with Erik and his obsessive love. She wished she could reach out right now and plead with Christine to have nothing more to do with 'her angel' and to just forget it had all ever happened but she knew now that it was too late. All she could do now was look after Christine as best she could and be there if she should need her.

When they had got back to the Opera Populaire, Christine happily placed the elegant dressing gown neatly back into the gift box and tied it back together. She had no idea when she would wear it but it was so beautiful and she was so thankful to Meg and Emilie for buying it for her.

She had started to put the events at the Bistro behind her and was now looking forward to her singing lesson with her angel. It was still only 11pm so all she had to do now was wait for the other girls to fall asleep before she made her ritualistic journey firstly to the chapel so say goodnight to her father, and then on to the prima donna's dressing room where she would get to speak to her angel. Although she had enjoyed her birthday, she had spent most of the day anxiously waiting for the hours to fly by so she could be back with her angel, singing. For that was made her feel alive, she lived for her singing and her angel had evoked such a voice in her that even she could barely recognise herself.

"Christine?" Meg whispered from the next bed

"Yes Meg?" Christine placed the box inside her little cupboard by her bed and got in underneath the sheets.

"Why did you leave Jaques like that?" Meg frowned.

"I was just a bit tired" Christine bit her lip, hoping that Meg would believe this "I'd had a lovely evening but I think I just wanted to come home by then"

"He wondered what he did wrong with you running away from him like that" Meg sighed and looked up at the ceiling, imagining the handsome Jaques "Surely, you must find him attractive!"

"I do" Christine admitted "He is very attractive but….I don't know Meg. It just felt wrong and…."

"Wrong? You were only dancing!" Meg exclaimed, trying to understand her friend's reasoning "How could it feel wrong? He was lovely and obviously very attracted to you"

Meg had never seen Christine go all dreamy eyed over a man. The only boy she had ever spoken of was some boy she had met whilst visiting Le Havre with her father. But that had been years ago and Meg desperately wanted to see Christine find some true happiness. After all the grief she had experienced at such a young age, she deserved to be with a lovely man like Jaques and live in a big posh house with a huge garden with lots of trees. Although Meg herself had suffered similar grief, she had just wanted to put her mind to helping Christine and, to her, that meant finding some wonderful man to whisk her away into a world of luxury and decadence. However, Christine's resistance to men was proving an obstacle in Meg's plans, for how would she ever find her dream man if she never courted anybody and ran away from any man who asked her to dance.

"Meg, please don't go on about it" Christine turned away, hoping Meg would give up on the conversation "I just didn't want to dance with Jaques. That is all. If you think he is so perfect, you court him!"

"I have a date with Henri Girard actually" Meg grinned, oblivious to the fact that Christine had turned away from her "He was one of Jaques' friends. He seemed really nice too"

Concerned, Christine slowly turned back to face Meg.

"Oh Meg, do be careful. You are only sixteen and they all looked older than us"

"Oh don't be silly! They are all only in their early twenties" Meg huffed "Honestly, you sound like my mother"

"Does your mother know about this date?" Christine highly doubting that she did

"No" Meg looked into Christine's eyes "Please don't tell her. She still thinks of me as a child"

"Of course I won't tell her" Christine sighed "I just worry about you"

"We are only going to go to the bistro next week" Meg giggled "He might even be able to get me some wine"

"That's what worries me" Christine frowned "We are too young to be drinking Meg and besides, did we not have a good time tonight without wine?"

"Some of us did" Meg reminded her "You didn't seem to enjoy yourself too much"

"Oh I did" Christine reassured her "The band was great, the food was wonderful and I really would have danced with you and Emilie"

"But not Jaques?" Meg questioned

"Its nothing to do with Jaques, I just felt uncomfortable dancing with a man I barely knew" Christine shrugged "I'm sorry if you felt I was being miserable but I really did have a lovely evening"

"I know how you feel in a way" Meg nodded "I guess we haven't really had much to do with men before, but we are sixteen now Christine. It's time we were courting and maybe finding our future husbands"

When silence greeted her remarks, Meg reached forward and touched Christine's arm.

"I really wish you would come on a double date with me and Henri" she smiled "I think you would really like Jaques if you got to know him"

"Meg please, stop going on about Jaques!" Christine let out a breath of frustration and pushed her hand away. Meg just didn't know when to stop sometimes.

Five minutes of uneasy silence went by as both girls thought angrily about how the other was in the wrong.

Christine had just wanted any conversation about Jaques and the events at the bistro to end and Meg, as usual had kept on about it. In fact, Christine had just wanted Meg to turn over and go to sleep so she could go to the chapel.

"I'm sorry" Meg reluctantly apologised "I just want you to be happy Christine"

"I know" Christine sighed and leant forward to hug Meg "I'm just tired Meg"

"Well then I will let you sleep" Meg kissed Christine on the head and smiled "Goodnight Christine"

"Goodnight Meg" Christine happily turned over and settled down.

For a while, she just lay there thinking of her father and her angel and the wonderful presents she had received for her birthday. Then, after about half an hour when she could hear the tell tale signs of Meg's snoring, she slowly pushed back the sheets and quietly got off the bed. She could just make out the sleeping figures of the other girls as she passed and set off on her way to the chapel.


	19. Chapter 19

PART 19 – A TENSE LESSON IN LOVE

It had been quite late by the time Christine had managed to finally make her way to the prima donna's dressing room. As she reached the door, her hand froze before she touched the door handle.

_What was she going to say to her angel?_

She knew he had been to the Bistro tonight but what exactly had he observed? And had what he had seen displeased him? She couldn't think that she had done anything terribly wrong, she hadn't even danced for very long and even when she had, her angel had been on her mind.

As she nervously skulked into the room, she resolved to say nothing. She hoped that they could just carry on as normal and that her angel would hear her sing and be happy with her. She so badly wanted to impress him. Slowly, she walked to the dressing table and lit the candle. Still wearing the beautiful necklace he had given her, she touched it and sighed, was he even here?

"Angel?" she murmured and was greeted only with silence

Tears welled in her eyes as she realised that her angel was not there. Maybe he had seen her talking with Jaques and had been infuriated by her betrayal and lack of respect.

"Angel please" she whispered "I left Jaques at the Bistro to come here to you"

If her angel had seen the events at the Bistro, surely he had seen her leave Jaques and rush back here. Surely he had seen how she had rushed to get back, and fallen in the snow in her haste.

She sank down onto the chair and buried her head in her hands on the dressing table.

"I didn't betray you angel" she cried

The Phantom was making his way back towards his lair when he suddenly heard the tortured cries of his angel. He couldn't make out what she was saying but she sounded distressed.

"That damn prig will pay if he has hurt her" he angrily charged back up the steps.

Bloodthirsty thoughts raged through his mind as he considered what that boy might have done to his beloved Christine. Had he injured her! Had he violated her! If he had, he would not live, that is one thing he could count on.

Fully prepared to charge through the dressing room mirror, the Phantom had to stop and remind himself that the sight of him flying through the mirror would probably scare the poor girl to death.

"Christine?" he called out to her "Are you alright?"

He frowned as he could see her hunched over the dressing table, weeping. What on earth could have possibly happened to her! Despite her obvious upset, he was glad to see that she seemed to be alright.

"Oh angel, I thought…..I thought you weren't coming"

"I was here" the Phantom muttered

"I'm sorry….I'm sorry I'm so late" Christine wiped her tears, trembling.

"I didn't think you would come here at all tonight" the Phantom remarked bitterly "I thought you had other things to do. Other people to be with"

"I was at the Bistro with Madame Giry, Meg and Emilie"

Christine was unsure of exactly what to say to her angel. Maybe it was wise not to mention the men and to act as if they hadn't been there at all.

"Did you enjoy the night?" the Phantom was hoping she would tell him the truth about the young man she had met tonight, willingly. He didn't want to have to ask her outright about any developing relationships she might have.

Maybe he just didn't want to know. For the sake of his own heart. Even now as he looked at her, he couldn't stop picturing that man's arms around her and imagining what might have happened after he had left.

She looked so nervous tonight, her voice trembled and she was frantically fiddling with her night dress and her curls.

"Yes it was wonderful" Christine tried her best to sound upbeat "The food was marvellous and I sat with Madame Giry as Meg and Emilie had a dance"

"You didn't dance yourself?" the Phantom asked, the question hanging in the air ominously.

Why he had asked? He did not want to know! If she told him the truth about her night with Jaques, he knew he would find it hard to listen to and hard to bear. But then, if she lied to him, that was equally as bad. He couldn't bear to think that his angel might lie to him.

"No" Christine looked straight ahead into the mirror "I didn't"

It felt awful to lie to him like that, but she just couldn't bear to bring herself to speak of Jaques with her angel. He hadn't mattered anyway so what was the point in mentioning him. Still, as she wiped away a tear, she felt an awful sense of guilt creeping through her heart and into her soul.

_She lied to me!_

The Phantom looked away from Christine in a mixed sense of disbelief and disgust. Firstly she had betrayed him and now, now she was lying to him too. He just couldn't bear to look at her now for to him, that innocence that he treasured so much in Christine had now been washed away in that lie.

_My Christine, my angel!_

Inside, he felt like falling apart and crying. How could she lie to him like this? After all these years, after all he had helped her through in her adolescence.

And yet, despite her betrayal, he couldn't help but fall even deeper in love with her as he finally looked back at her beautiful tear-stained face.

Christine looked down at her necklace and choked back further tears. The lie she had just told was hanging in the air like a big rock, just waiting to come crashing down onto her.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, the Phantom finally spoke.

"We must start the lesson. We have much to do"

Hearing the cold tone, in his voice, Christine sniffed, nodded and slowly got up to sing.

The atmosphere was unbearable in the room as she sang. Instead of feeling joy, she felt so distraught. She wished she could reach out to her angel and touch him and tell him the truth about tonight. She wished she could at least look into his eyes to try and read what he was feeling.

"What is wrong with you tonight?" the Phantom snapped, interrupting her song "Where is the emotion in your voice?"

"I….I'm sorry" Christine stammered

"What are you thinking about?" his voice softened as he could see her, deep in tormented thought.

"It doesn't actually matter what you are thinking of" He continued before she had time to speak. "You are not thinking in the mind of Elissa, that's for sure. Remember what I have taught you, you need to get into the mind of your character, feel what they are feeling"

Despite the pain he was feeling, he still wanted to help Christine excel in her career. He still loved her after all, and wanted her to be successful and for everybody to see how talented and how beautiful she was. To help her, he needed to try to brush his feelings aside and resume their relationship on a more professional basis, and that was what he was going to do.

"I can't do this" she whispered sadly "I can't lie to you angel"

"Christine please, lets just…" the Phantom just wanted to carry on teaching her, just to take his mind off it all "We have so much to do and I…"

"No angel" Christine interrupted, looking into the air as if he was there and she could look into his eyes.

"I lied to you just now, about the dancing" Christine looked down in shame "I'm not even sure why I lied"

"Please do not explain" the Phantom shook his head. He really didn't want to hear the details.

"We didn't dance for too long" Christine continued "I couldn't get you out of my mind angel and for some reason, I just felt like I was betraying you and I would never do that. I can't bear the thought of hurting you angel"

"Oh Christine" he uttered lovingly. He was so pleased that she was telling the truth and that she had been thinking of him.

_I couldn't get you out of my mind_

Her words played over in his mind like a beautiful melody. His angel had been thinking of him, not that handsome man in the bistro, but him!

"I told him I had to go and I left the Bistro and that's when I found your rose" she spoke quickly, her hands gesturing wildly, trying to tell him everything before he interrupted again "I felt so worried and upset that I might have hurt you so I tried to rush back here but I fell in the snow and then Madame Giry caught up with me and…."

"Angel, you don't have to explain any more" the Phantom smiled to himself.

So, a quick dance was all that the handsome stranger had managed to get from Miss Daae! The Phantom could not put into words how happy he suddenly felt. His angel had not betrayed him. Far from it, she had left the handsome man to come here and speak to him! No one had ever done anything like this for him before. He felt deeply touched and moved.

"I am so grateful for the help you have given me" Christine smiled "But, more than ever, tonight I wish….I"

"You wish what?" the Phantom laughed "If I can grant it, I will"

"I wish I could see you" Christine looked about her "I have heard your voice for so many years and yet I have never looked into your eyes. Never watched you sing as you have watched me sing"

The Phantom's smile faded as quickly as it had arrived when he heard those words. The beautiful melody in his mind was replaced by cold, bitter silence as he was brought back to reality with a hard, cruel jolt.

_If Christine had seen your face, she would wish she had stayed with that man in the Bistro._

His cruel thoughts taunted him as he touched his mask.

"Angel, please, let me finally see you, touch you…"

"You do not know what you are asking" the Phantom spoke bitterly "There are some things better left to the imagination Christine"

"I do know what I am asking" Christine spoke firmly "I want to look upon my angel. I want to…."

"It is out of the question" he snapped angrily "Do not ask again"

Christine backed away, frightened by the harshness of his voice.

"I'm sorry" she whimpered.

Seeing the fear in her eyes, he felt his heart melt. He only ever wanted to see Christine smile, and he certainly did not want to see the scared, sad look she had on her face right now.

"Please, don't be afraid" he whispered softly "All I ask is that you please do not ask that of me ever again"

"I won't, I promise I won't" Christine shook her head

"We are not going to get much done now" the Phantom sighed "You must go to bed and sleep, you have had a long night"

Numbly, Christine nodded and walked towards the door. For the first time in years, she had just wanted to return to the safety of the dormitories and sleep. Her angel's rapidly changing moods had unnerved her tonight and, for the first time since encountering the guiding voice of her angel, she had felt afraid. Afraid of the ferocity in her angel's voice and yet equally afraid of the softness and loving tone of his voice. Was it possible to feel fear and yet complete understanding and love of another being? Christine wasn't sure. How was it possible to understand any kind of feeling towards someone, or some being whose moods and emotions changed so rapidly?

"Don't fear me Christine" the voice followed her as she laid her hand on the door handle, ready to leave.

Silently, Christine nodded.

"You will never have any need to fear me Miss Daae" her angel reassured her as she turned around, facing back into the dressing room.

Of course she had no need to fear him. Deep inside her soul she knew that he would never do anything to hurt her. He was her angel, he had nurtured through the sensitive years when she had been crying out for her father and had doubted her own ability. And yet, deep inside her stomach was an unsettling feeling, a feeling which had been increasing in her mind ever since she had stepped inside the dressing room tonight.

"I don't fear you…" she spoke out loud "…although, I don't understand you, and I am not sure if I ever will"

The Phantom let a tear escape his eye as he observed his angel debating with her own mind. How could a beautiful, innocent girl like Christine be expected to understand a hideous devilish monster like himself?

Was that what he was? A devil? The Phantom wasn't at all sure where he stood in the great plan of the great Lord above but whatever the plan was, he was sure that it involved the fiery flames of hell. He had killed after all. He was for sure damned.

Of course Christine would never understand him. How could she? After all, she represented all that was good in the world. An everlasting light, with a heart full of goodness and innocence. She could never possibly understand the Phantom and his world of darkness and death. She was the light to his darkness, after all, every darkness required some sort of light and she was it. The light to his darkness.

"You don't need to understand me" he spoke softly to his angel "All you have to do is trust me"

"I trust you" Christine froze and closed her eyes, her back against the door of the dressing room. She felt unable to move, as if she needed to stay.

"Good" her angel's voice penetrated her thoughts "That is the most important thing. Throughout everything Christine, you must trust me"

Biting her lip. Christine nodded and swiftly let herself out of the room. She kept walking until she finally reached the stage area, where she walked up the centre of the stage and twirled around, as if she was on display to hundreds of people, not alone, in her nightdress in a deserted auditorium.

She raised her head and took a deep breath as she fantasised a full auditorium before her, applauding her performance.

"So this is what you have planned for me?" she smiled as she remembered her angel's words,

_You will be playing the role of Elissa_

Despite her angel's protestations that she needed sleep, Christine had never felt so awake as she sang the entire score of Elissa's lyrics to her imaginary audience.

As she finished singing the score, she smiled as she envisaged the flowers thrown onto the stage by admirers and the cheers from her imaginary audience.

Giggling at her own stupidity and vanity, Christine went to walk towards the dormitories and stopped dead in her tracks. For there, on the floor of the stage lay a red rose, with a black ribbon attached to it. With a heart full of anticipation and dread, she picked up the rose and read the label that was also attached to it.

"_That performance was wonderful mon ange! I finally saw in your eyes the emotions that you had earlier lacked. If you keep up this standard that I know that you are more than capable of achieving, then you are destined for a future that is beyond your wildest expectations._

_Your Angel of Music"_

Christine looked all around her to check that she was still alone and placed the note in a pocket in her nightdress.

"Goodnight angel" she spoke into the auditorium, hoping that her angel had heard her.


	20. Chapter 20

PART 20 – CARLOTTA & PIANGI

"I 'av 'ad enough" Carlotta wailed in a high pitched squeal that seemed to echo around her dressing room

"Please Carlotta, I really don't think…" Ubaldo Piangi implored as he followed her into the prima donna's dressing room

"for ze last six months, zees is getting worse!" Carlotta gestured to her paint stained dress "Props have been falling over, scripts have been altered, and now, pots of paint are falling from the ceiling, as if by magic!"

"I know" Ubaldo chuckled as he recalled an incident when Carlotta's script had been 'amended' so that her lyrics read lyrics that were rather insulting, instead of the original lyrics. Of course, Carlotta had just sang from the lyric sheet and had been left blushing with humiliation after the whole company had laughed at her 'error'

He and Carlotta had been 'secret' lovers for over a year now and it seemed that as every day went by, Carlotta seemed to take her companion for granted more and more. Piangi had started to feel more like Carlotta's servant than her lover as everyday he would hear her calling him to fetch her puppy, fetch her water and generally do anything she asked.

"Ubaldo, I cannot put up viz zees conditions" Carlotta placed her hand to her forehead in an expression of stress "For 3 years I 'ave been afflicted viz zees humiliation and over the last six months it 'as been getting worse and worse"

"It is nothing personal" Ubaldo started to massage Carlotta's shoulders as she sank down at her dressing table

"Oh really?" Carlotta whirled around in her chair and pushed his hands away "Zen 'ow come it iz always my script that gets altered?"

"Carlotta, its just unfortunate" Ubaldo protested "I really…"

"And 'ow come the props always happen to fall near me?" she picked up the fan on her dressing table and started frantically fanning herself

"Carlotta, stop taking everything so personally" Ubaldo sighed "Accidents happen to us all"

"Then 'ow come the pot of paint fell on me?" Carlotta threw the fan back onto her dressing table "Look at me! My dress is ruined"

As Carlotta surveyed the mess on her beautiful, green dress, her facial expressions started to tighten.

"Eet is im! I am sure of eet!"

"Who?" Ubaldo frowned

"Ze Phantom of Ze Opera, who else?" she got up out of the chair and paced wildly around the room "He vants me to quit ze opera, well I won't"

"Carlotta, please don't start believing these ridiculous stories" Ubaldo laughed as he watched her pace the room

"Stories? They happen to be true Ubaldo!" she shrieked "One man died years ago when he was just searching around in the depths of the opera house for sets and props"

"So Buquet says" Ubaldo peered into the dressing table mirror and adjusted his bow tie "But are you really doing to believe the drunk of the Opera Populaire?"

"Eet is 'im!" Carlotta pushed Ubaldo aside and started powdering her cheeks with blusher "He is targeting me and he is trying to drive me mad"

"The Phantom of the Opera is a legend! A myth cooked up by eccentrics who have nothing better to do than to torment successful people like yourself" Piangi laid his hands back on her shoulders and chuckled "And I thought you were too intelligent and insightful to believe in such rubbish"

In the 6 years that he had known and starred alongside Carlotta Guidicelli in the Opera Populaire, Ubaldo had developed an admiration for the headstrong prima donna. He wasn't sure if he was in love for how could you love someone who spent more time gazing at their own reflection, than looking into your eyes. But he couldn't help but find her vanity somewhat endearing.

"Vot are you looking at?" Carlotta frowned as she noticed Ubaldo gazing at her

"Nothing dear!" he bent down and kissed her on the cheek

"Ubaldo!" she brushed him away "I have just applied blusher to my cheeks and now you 'ave gone and kissed me!"

"I am going to the bistro" Ubaldo walked towards the door "Shall I expect to see you later?"

"Maybe" Carlotta turned her attention back to her reflection in her mirror "Then again, maybe not"

At her last remark, Ubaldo sighed and walked out of the dressing room. Sometimes he just couldn't imagine why he bothered with that woman! But then again, he guessed that it was their vanity that kept them together. He too, was a proud man! And when he looked at Carlotta, he could find many similarities in himself. They were both rather large people, with rather large voices to match although, like many, Ubaldo had started to find Carlotta's voice a little highly strung lately. He was not about to confess that to her however, it just wasn't worth it, he valued his life and his facial features far too much.

And as for the Phantom of the Opera, well Ubaldo was pretty sure that all those rumours were merely imaginative creations by Joseph Buquet, in yet another drunken stupor. He certainly wasn't going to worry about an 'opera ghost' and was sure that all the recent accidents were just due to bad luck. But then again, Carlotta did seem to bear the humiliation of each incident, as if it was she who was being targeted.

Shaking his head, he headed towards the Opera House's entrance to make his way home.

"I do not believe in ghosts, phantoms or anything of the like" he declared to himself as he crossed the quiet Parisian roads.


	21. Chapter 21

PART 21 – A DISCUSSION IN THE OFFICE

Madame Giry bit her lip nervously as she strolled towards the manager's office. What was it he could possibly want to see her for.

It wasn't that she minded speaking to Chamleau Lefevre. After all, they had known each other quite some time now through many dedicated years work at the Opera Populaire and they had become very good friends.

It was just the way he had asked to speak with her tonight. As if she had been guilty of some crime and he was on to her.

Tonight's _accident_ during the opera had just been the latest in a string of _accidents_ that had been occurring lately, all targeting Carlotta. As she had watched the pot of paint falling onto Carlotta that night, the frightening thought plagued her mind. Exactly what did Erik have planned next? What was in store for them all at the Opera Populaire, in particular Carlotta?

As these thoughts had been going through her mind she had noticed Lefevre, frowning at her, from the other side of the stage area as if reading her thoughts and it had been then that he had swiftly moved away to catch up with her as she had made her way to the dormitories. With a sombre look on his face, he had asked her to meet him at his office, as soon as the public had left and the ballerinas were in bed.

_My god, he knows!_

Madame Giry stopped in her tracks and frowned.

No, how could he possibly know of her association with Erik. It wasn't possible. As nice and generous as Lefevre was, he was far from shrewd, and he wouldn't have worked out anything from her guilty and concerned expressions that night.

Shaking her head to rid her mind of these absurd thoughts, she gently tapped on the manager's door. She heard his tired, weary voice beckon her in and slowly walked into the office, quietly closing the door behind her.

"Monsieur Lefevre, you requested that I attend upon you"

"Oh Ann, please do not stand on ceremony so" a slight smile spread over his perplexed features "I am a friend, not just a manager"

"Of course" Madame Giry relaxed slightly and sighed "What is it you wished to see me about?"

"Ah yes" Lefevre rose up from his chair and picked up a few letters that had been on the cabinet behind him.

He handed the letters over to Madame Giry and walked back to the cabinet to pour them both a glass of whisky.

"It seems things are getting a little more serious with our friend, the opera ghost" he sat back down in his chair and handed her the whisky.

"Oh, not this absurd nonsense about the Phantom of the Opera again!" Madame Giry feigned annoyance and disbelief and pushed the letters away "I am really fed up of this ridiculous…"

"Ann, there are too many accidents occurring lately, you cannot possibly deny…."

"I do not believe in ghost stories" Madame Giry lifted her head up defiantly. She had to make him believe that she had nothing to do with the Phantom and that she believed all the stories and rumours to be untrue.

"Some time ago, maybe about 5 or 6 years ago, I received the letters that you already know of…." Lefevre got up and started pacing the office

"Yes, I know, the one specifying that you should leave box 5 empty, I have heard about all this" Madame Giry interrupted. She really wanted to discourage any talk of Erik, she knew it angered him and she didn't want to be implicated in anything. She had already done enough in delivering the odd note on his behalf.

"I know you have Ann but the notes are getting worse" he handed her the latest two notes and took a sip of his whisky "Those notes are threatening direct action against Carlotta if she is not replaced"

Of course, Madame Giry was only too aware of the contents of the notes as she had been the one to distribute them. Worried that her knowing look would give her away, she pretended to read and feigned concern.

"He is most specific in this. He wants Carlotta out" she sighed and pushed the notes back to him "What are you going to do?"

"He already has me leaving a very expensive box for his use every performance, and I pay him 20,000.00 francs a month to keep the peace" Lefevre huffed in a rare expression of defiance "I am damned if he is going to start to dictate who is in the performances as well"

"Are you not worried about what the consequences may be if you do not comply?"

Madame Giry was worried. Lefevre had never gone against Erik's wishes before and who knows what Erik was intending to do were his demands not met.

"Why the concern?" Lefevre chuckled "I thought you did not believe this Ann"

"I do not know what to believe Chamleau" she shook her head

"Oh Ann, how much evidence do you need?" exasperated, he put his head in his hands "As annoying and demanding as Carlotta is, she has endured a lot of misfortunate accidents lately, it cannot be just coincidence that we get these notes and then these accidents just happen"

"So you are a believer in the Phantom of the Opera?" Madame Giry tried to show no emotion in her face that would confirm her knowledge of him.

"Phantom of the Opera, Opera Ghost, call him what you will" Lefevre finished off his whisky "He is getting too demanding and we cannot give in again"

"But what if something should happen?"

"We will just have to be vigilant" he sighed "I will hold a meeting before tomorrow's rehearsal, just to alert people to the…the danger"

"Very well" Madame Giry rose up and sighed "I must go to bed now Chamleau"

"Of course, I shall not keep you any longer" he smiled "Goodnight Ann!"

"Goodnight" she returned the smile and left the office feeling pity for the poor man.

He did not deserve the aggravation he was getting at the hands of Erik, he was a good man! Sometimes she wished she could just tell Erik to stop this reign of intimidation he had over Lefevre but what was the use, he would never listen to her, he rarely did.

Shaking her head in resignation, she retired to her bedroom and sank onto her bed, replaying the conversation with Lefevre in her head.


	22. Chapter 22

PART 22 – VIGILENCE

Auditions for Hannibal were now well underway and the stage was alive with people singing scales, tuning their instruments, practising dance moves and manoeuvres which they had been working on for the last few weeks. Not all of the costumes were finished yet so it was quite a spectacular scene. Half of the company were dressed in casual 1870 outfits and the rest were dressed in the newly made costumes for Hannibal.

"But Why?" Carlotta's shrill voice rebounded around the auditorium as she made her way up the steps to the stage "Why eez it MY costume that is one of ze last to be made?"

"It is the most detailed and complicated costume of the whole opera" Marianne, the poor dressmaker was gasping for breath and starting to sweat after chasing Carlotta around the Opera Populaire "I want you to look perfect and perfection takes time"

Christine, tried not to listen to the racket coming from Carlotta's complaining as she concentrated on her dancing.

"So what do you think?" Meg whispered to Christine as they practised under the watchful eye of Madame Giry

"About what?" Christine frowned. She was already finding it hard to concentrate on the moves and now Meg had decided to start a discussion!

"About the accidents" Meg graciously danced before her and turned her head to face her "There have been too many lately for them all to be just accidents"

"Oh Meg!" Christine momentarily forgot the moves she was currently supposed to be doing, and frowned as she concentrated hard on resuming the dance "What are you talking about?"

"In the last six months, accident after accident has occurred, all resulting in the torment or humiliation of Carlotta" she twirled around, her thoughts seemingly unshaken by the conversation "Do you not find that strange?"

This time, Christine didn't reply to her friend. Instead, she simply concentrated on her dancing and was pleased to notice Madame Giry smiling at her in approval.

"I think it is him behind it all" Meg stopped dancing and looked Christine in the eye

"Meg I haven't a clue what you are talking about" Christine continued to dance around Meg

"The Phantom of the Opera!" Meg whispered "Who else could it possibly be?"

"Meg!" Madame Giry cracked her cane on the floor, creating a loud noise which echoed around the staging area "Concentrate!"

Meg scowled but reluctantly resumed her dancing.

"I cannot believe you are still believing those ghost stories that Buquet tells" Christine laughed "Everytime he tells those stories, they seem to change slightly"

"Believe what you will "Meg shook her head "But there are way too many unfortunate accidents happening around here for them to just be coincidence"

Suddenly, everybody's rehearsing was interrupted by a shrill scream from Carlotta

"Vhat do you mean, eet vas ruined?" she screeched

"Please Madame" Marianne frantically tried to shush her "As I was just saying, I had originally made your costume first, obviously it was the top priority"

She gave a slight curtsey before Carlotta before resuming her speech

"It was wonderful, perfect. I had spent so long on it"

"And?" Carlotta demanded

"And I put it away safely in the costume department, all neatly hung and pressed…" Marianne's eyes grew sad at the thought of what had happened to her beautiful creation "But when I came back the next morning, I went to check on it and…and…"

"Yes? Yes?" Carlotta snapped "Spit it out!"

Marianne blushed as she realised that all eyes were now on her. Uncomfortable with all the attention, she stammered.

"And...i..it had been shredded with a knife"

"By him!" Carlotta screeched in shock "Another plan to get at me by zat Phantom!"

"Carlotta" Piangi tried to reason with her "You are being irrational my sweet!"

"Irrational!" Carlotta's voice was rising every second "Zees are plans designed by ze phantom to drive me mad"

"But why?" Piangi placed a hand on her shoulder

"Maybe ee is jealous of my talent" she waved his hand away and stomped in anger "But I know eet is im"

"You don't know that" Piangi smiled at her tantrum, he was used to them. "I am sure that Marianne will make sure that your costume will be ready very soon"

"She 'ad better" Carlotta whirled around to face her unfortunate dressmaker again only to find that she had gone.

Suddenly, the attention was taken off Carlotta as Lefevre strolled onto the middle of the stage, frantically shushing anyone who was making any noise whatsoever.

"Erm….everybody" he waved his arm in the air to get the attention of anyone who hadn't yet gathered around him

"Oh here we go!" Madame Giry rolled her eyes and muttered to herself

"I..I just have a few things I would like to say" Lefevre really didn't like speaking in public, he was more of a backstage, dealing with the administration element type of manager.

He loved opera, and loved to watch everything come together during rehearsals but he had left the choreography and general running of the operas to the likes of Madame Giry & Monsieur Reyer who, over the years, had proved very competent indeed. In fact, Madame Giry had often made suggestions regarding many elements of the opera such as the sets, props, costume and many other aspects. He had been quite taken back as they hadn't seemed like suggestions she would make at all. Even she had always seemed surprised that the ideas worked, which they always did.

"Erm…I just wanted to comment on the amount of….accidents we have had lately" he cast a brief glance at Madame Giry who nodded in understanding

"Accidents!" Carlotta pushed people aside and made her way to the front of the gathering "Zey are not accidents, ze Phantom is trying to drive me out of ere"

"Until we know otherwise for sure, they are merely accidents" Lefevre spoke solemnly "Unfortunate ones yes, but what we have to discuss is how to deal with any…..any potential dangers"

"By killing zat pig of an opera ghost that's how!" Carlotta folded her arms and stomped over to where Piangi was standing

"If a ghost is responsible for these accidents then we have no need to kill him do we!" Lefevre chuckled, but stopped as soon as he could see the dead pan faces around him

"Anyway, all I wanted to ask was that people are vigilant" Lefevre continued

Madame Giry, on noticing the blank looks of the younger ballerinas walked over to them and whispered

"He means to be careful"

"E…Exactly" Lefevre nodded "Be careful and be aware of everything, and I mean everything going on around you"

"I'm sorry but I do not understand what you want us to do" Madame Giry sighed "We cannot prevent accidents from happening"

"We must try" Lefever pointed to the sets that were being constructed behind them "I want everyone who is backstage to keep their eyes on each piece of set, props, anything that can be dropped, thrown or pushed over"

"We already do" Josef Buquet's brash voice cut through the babble of people who were muttering on stage "Are you saying that we don't do our jobs"

"I am not saying anything of the sort" Lefevre was never a man to enjoy confrontation "But then again where were you when that pot of paint fell last night? Where were you when the other accidents occurred?"

"Eyeing up the women probably" Nicolette drawled

"Oooh yes, he always looks at my cleavage" Brigitte giggled with Josette

"And mine" Josette patted her ample bosom

"Vell, most people ave no chance but to look there as you thrust zem into people's faces all day" Carlotta spoke cattily as she could she Piangi's eyes move to the direction of the flirtatious girls' breasts.

"I take exception to that" Buquet took a swig from his bottle of whisky

Madame Giry rolled her eyes as she watched what had began as a civilised discussion erupt into chaos.

"Please, please" Lefevre started waving again to try and regain everyone's attention

"I wish he would get to the point" Meg sighed

"How can he?" Emilie shook her head "With Carlotta screeching and everyone else discussing Brigitte and Josette's breasts, he has no chance"

"I just want to get back to rehearsing" Christine frowned

Lefevre shook his head, about to give up and Madame Giry, seeing his distress, raised her cane and whacked it on the ground.

At the sound, everybody turned around.

"Thank you" Lefevre smiled at Madame Giry "Now, can we please get back to the point?"

"And what is the point exactly?" Buquet folded his arms and leant against the wall

"I would like everybody to be more careful. Leave no paint pots lying around, move everything away from the stage area before every performance" Lefevre forced a smile at Carlotta "Maybe then we can avoid these unfortunate accidents"

"If he calls them accidents one more time, I will give him an accident" Carlotta hissed at Piangi

"Anyway, for now, that is all I can suggest" Lefevre sighed, obviously relieved that his speech was over "Please, get back to erm….whatever you were doing"

As the orchestra picked up where they left off, Christine, Meg and Emilie happily skipped over to where Madame Giry was waiting and resumed their practice.

Meg watched fascinated as Christine quietly mouthed along with what were supposed to be Carlotta's lines. Carlotta, after her stress at discovering that her costume had been vandalised, had refused to rehearse stating that she didn't need rehearsing anyway.

"Christine, how on earth do you know all of Carlotta's words?" Meg was amazed.

"Oh, I just really like this opera" Christine lied, immediately trying to stop herself from mouthing along.

Madame Giry tried to keep focused on the rehearsals but in her mind, all she could think was that no matter how vigilant everyone was, there would be no stopping Erik. Whatever he had planned for the Opera Populaire, he would carry it out and no one could possibly stand in his way.

Poor Lefevre, he really didn't know what he was dealing with.

Madame Giry's heart caught in her throat as she noticed something fluttering down in front of her. With a great sense of dread, she bent down to pick it up and prayed that no one else had noticed it. As she raised her head, she was dismayed to hear the orchestra stop playing and to see everyone staring at her.

"What is it?" Emilie muttered

"I…I don't know" Madame Giry went to put the note in her pocket

"Read it out!" Carlotta demanded

"I..I think I should give it to Monsieur Lefevre. It may be for him"

"Since when do people deliver mail to Lefevre from the ceiling?" Buquet glowered

"Read it!" Carlotta walked towards Madame Giry "Or I will!"

Reluctantly Madame Giry opened the envelope and looked at the note and slowly began to read.

"Monsieur Lefevre

I have sent you a note regarding La Carlotta's role in the Opera Populaire and as far as I have observed, you have not taken any steps to comply with my demands. I suggest you rethink before any more accidents occur.

Being vigilant will not help you, only compliance with my instructions will ensure your safety and everyone else's.

I suggest you start searching for the company's hidden talent, which will benefit you and the public who have been forced to endure Carlotta's dreadful voice for way too long now.

O.G."

For once, Carlotta was speechless, her mouth gaping open.

"Who the hell is O.G?" Elita looked at Nicolette who shrugged

"Opera ghost!" Buquet barked "Its obvious"

"Oh quit telling these ridiculous stories" Madame Giry tried to look calm as she folded the note and put it in her pocket

"They're not stories. They are true" one of the younger ballerinas spoke "Josef always tells us about him"

"See!" Madame Giry hissed at Buquet "Look what you have done to these poor girls. Got them believing in your stupid ghost stories"

"They are not stories" Buquet walked towards her "You must remember hearing about that poor workman who….."

"We do not need to hear about it now" Madame Giry glared at him "If the opera ghost does exist and I say IF, he probably won't like to be discussed"

The chaos dissolved into silence as everyone suddenly realised that Carlotta, usually a woman of many words, had not yet spoken.

"Erm….don't be upset my love" Piangi cooed to a still stunned Carlotta "Even the greatest singers in the world have critics"

"I AM one of the greatest singers in the world" Carlotta was on the brink of tears "And don't you forget it!"

She shot a look of pure hatred to everyone around her and flounced off the stage, with Piangi following.

"Well" Madame Giry found it hard to disguise the smirk that was spreading across her face "I had better give this note to Lefevre"


	23. Chapter 23

PART 23 – THINK OF ME

The Phantom chuckled from behind the dressing room mirror as he listened to Christine relating the recent events at the Opera Populaire to him. Although he had been the 'fiend' responsible for the dreadful goings on, it still amused him to hear the events told to him through the innocent eyes of Christine.

"I know Carlotta can be a bit…." She began, struggling to find a word to describe the impossible diva

"Conceited, arrogant, nasty, talentless"

Christine was surprised at the satisfied tone of her angel. As loathsome as the woman was, it felt strange for her angel to be so amused at her downfall.

"Yes she can sometimes be all of those things" Christine reluctantly agreed "But it most have been awful for her to suffer such humiliation in front of all those people"

"Do you not think she warrants the run of bad luck she has been experiencing?" the Phantom spoke expectantly.

As innocent and good hearted as Christine was, there must be part of her that would think that the ghastly woman deserved her recent traumas.

"I guess" Christine sighed "But I couldn't help feeling sorry for her as she stood there, covered in paint with the whole audience laughing at her. I would give anything to sing on that stage but if this prankster did the same things to me as he or she is doing to Carlotta, then I think I would die of shame"

"A prankster?" the Phantom was amused to hear him described in such a way "Have you any idea who it could be?"

"No, it is impossible" Christine shrugged "The backstage area is always full of people so I cannot possibly even venture a guess as to who is responsible"

The Phantom smiled as he looked on his beautiful, naïve angel. Not for one minute had she thought him responsible for Carlotta's suffering. He loved her even more for her purity, her white as snow innocence and childlike naivety. He almost felt bad for not telling her who the real 'prankster' was but he had to keep focused on the future. The sooner he rid the Opera Populaire of the screeching signora, then they could all hear exactly what talent and indeed, what music really was.

"Now my angel, we must begin the lesson" the Phantom excitedly rubbed his hands together, already feeling the inevitable triumph that was coming their way "Your time is rapidly getting closer and closer"

"Really?" Christine's eyes widened in a mixture of shock and joy. Was she really soon going to be heading the cast of Hannibal in the Opera Populaire. It seemed like an impossible dream to her.

Sensing her thoughts, the Phantom smiled as he envisaged her singing the main aria from Hannibal 'Think of Me'

"The role of Elissa is well within our sights Christine" he whispered slowly, his voice sounding almost hypnotic "so close, you could reach out and touch it, taste it"

"I just don't see how" Christine's smile gave way to a curious frown "Carlotta has already been cast in the role and I just can't see…."

"Are you doubting me?" the Phantom snapped.

His dream was so close, so close! The last thing he needed was for Christine to start having doubts in herself or his tuition.

"No angel please!" Christine pleaded "I shouldn't have questioned you. I am just….well….I just cannot imagine it. Not in my wildest dreams"

"Your voice features in every dream I dare to dream" The Phantom spoke softly "And when I hear your voice, whether it be here or in my dreams, I am at my happiest"

"It gives me great pleasure too" Christine closed her eyes, breathed in and slowly exhaled, a long breath of contentment "And its all thanks to you angel. What can I possibly do to repay you for your guidance?"

As she often did, she looked around the dressing room to see any trace of what may be the form of her angel. Of course, as ever, she saw nothing and looked down in disappointment. She couldn't understand why she was so desperate to see her angel, but the need had greatly increased lately. So much so that she had been desperately wishing to see what he looked like in her dreams. He was always there, his voice and her own dominating her every dream but even in her dreams, she could never conjure up a face for her angel.

The Phantom stood silent for a moment, contemplating all the things he would wish for, which of course mainly involved Christine's success and happiness. A smile spread across his face as he imagined her receiving rapturous applause and endless bouquets of flowers from admirers, along with the fame and riches that her success would bring.

The smile started to fade, however, as he started to envisage how his life would be when she did finally receive the fame and admiration she so rightly merited. His life would return exactly to how it had been all those years ago, before he had started coaching Christine. A life of loneliness and nothingness. Nothing to do, nothing to feel, nothing to wish for and nothing to live for. She would live her life, enjoy her success and would probably forget all about her angel of music.

"There is only one thing I would ever dare to wish" the Phantom whispered sadly

"Anything you want Angel" Christine nodded "Whatever happens to me, whether I achieve my dreams or not, I will always be so thankful to you for making my voice the way it is now"

"You will achieve your dreams" the Phantom spoke confidently "I know it. Which is why the aria you will sing in Hannibal pretty much describes the only wish you could possibly grant me"

Christine sat down at the dressing table and tilted her head curiously as the Phantom closed his eyes and took a deep breath. As he thought of the sad, inevitable day when Christine would leave his life forever, he started to sing an aria that Christine knew very well indeed.

"_Think of me, think of me fondly, when we've said goodbye.  
Remember me once in a while, please promise me you'll try.  
When you find that, once again, you long to take your heart back and be free  
if you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me_

_We never said our love was evergreen, or as unchanging as the sea  
but if you can still remember stop and think of me _

_Think of all the things we've shared and seen  
don't think about the things which might have been_

_Think of me, think of me waking silent and resigned.  
Imagine me, trying too hard to put you from my mind.  
Recall those days, look back on all those times, think of the things we'll never do, there will never be a day, when I won't think of you"  
_

The Phantom struggled hard to maintain his composure and not to cry as he slowly opened his eyes. Chuckling to himself as he gazed at Christine through the mirror, he realised that he had no need to be concerned about composure as Christine's head was now resting on the dressing table, her eyes tightly shut. His voice had lulled her into a beautiful dream.


	24. Chapter 24

PART 24 – SLEEPING ANGEL

Madame Giry slowly awoke from another dreamless sleep. A dreamless sleep was considered a blessing to her, as at least that meant that she wasn't having a nightmare. Lately, if she had any dreams at all, they had been filled with constant dread and fear for the future. Each letter that erik had given her to distribute to the manager was even more threatening than the last and she feared for everyone's safety. Including Erik's. He was obviously allowing logic to become clouded over with his love for Christine and each of the demands in his letters were getting more preposterous each time. Did he really think he could convince Lefevre to get rid of Carlotta with threatening letters?

She dressed quickly and placed the letter in her pocket. She had decided not to give the letter to Lefevre yesterday as, after that dreadful meeting, she had felt he deserved a break from hearing of Erik's demands.

She left her room and started walking down the corridors, and descended down the steps to the ground floor of the Opera Populaire. As she passed the Prima Donna's dressing room, she could hear what sounded like snoring. She slowly edged through the door and smiled as she looked down on Christine who was fast asleep with her head resting on her arms. She looked so beautiful and peaceful and her lips were curved into a contented smile.

"Annie" she heard a whisper coming from the mirror

Slowly she quietly walked away from Christine and headed towards the mirror.

"Erik? What are you doing here? You having been teaching her all night have you?"

"No, no, she has been asleep for hours. I sang to her" he spoke proudly "She drifted off at the sound of my voice. She looks radiant doesn't she"

"Never mind that" Madame Giry produced the letter from her pocket and waved it at the mirror "How long are you going to keep on intimidating Lefevre with these threats?"

"For as long as it takes" he spoke solemnly

"You cannot expect to get your own way all the time by sending threats" she spoke quietly but exasperation filled her normally calm voice

"Whyever not?" he smirked "I would do a much better job than that useless idiot. Its beyond me why he ever cast Carlotta in the first place"

"Erik, Lefevre is a very intelligent man and Carlotta had a very good voice to begin with, you must remember that" Madame Giry cringed as she imagined how Carlotta's voice had deteriorated over the years "Its just that she let the success go to her head and started to sing over the top with way too much vibrato. But that is no excuse to…."

"Ann, do not question my methods until you have seen them put into action" he hissed "Then you will see how right I am"

"I know you are right about Christine" Madame Giry quickly glanced at the sleeping girl to check that their conversation hadn't stirred her "But your methods are breaking Lefevre and he doesn't deserve that"

"Is that so?" the Phantom spoke sarcastically "It sounds like you may have some kind of affection for Monsieur Lefevre, am I right?"

"How dare you!" Madame Giry rose her voice then instantly cringed, worrying that she had woken Christine and she would think she had gone mad talking to herself.

"No need to be embarrassed Annie" Erik was loving this, never had he seen the normally unshakeable woman so annoyed

"The only man I will ever love is my husband" she spoke angrily "My feelings for Lefevre are similar to what I feel for you. You both drive me crazy sometimes but I have known you for a very long time and I guess I think of him and sometimes even you as old friends"

"Just sometimes?" Erik frowned. Although he could barely bring himself to truly trust anyone after his treatment at the hands of the gypsies, he had thought of Madame Giry as maybe someone he could put his trust in. He had also considered her a friend to a certain extent, after all, she had always looked after him. But why, why did she always have to question his reasoning with that prophetic voice of doom.

He slowly opened the door behind the mirror and slid the mirror away. He gestured to Madame Giry to walk through and quietly, so as not to wake Christine, she stepped forward and joined him.

"Sometimes, I just can't understand you" Madame Giry shrugged when she was standing beside him

"That makes two of us" he remarked drily as he slid the mirror back into place "But maybe its that way. The truth isn't always as pretty as we would like it to be. I am living proof of that"

"Erik, I haven't time for this. Remember, I have to deliver another threatening letter to my friend?"

"You don't need to worry Annie, everyone is safe from me" Erik sighed, feeling that Madame Giry was starting to get melodramatic

"As long as they comply with your orders" she spoke bitterly

"Yes, but my demands are simple and for the benefit of the Opera Populaire" Erik explained

"And what about me?" Madame Giry spoke defiantly "If I decide not to deliver your letters, am I to incur your wrath also?"

"I would never harm a woman" he spoke with disgust

"And what would you call Carlotta?" Madame Giry placed the letter back in her pocket and folded her arms

"I would call her many things, a woman isn't one of them" he chuckled mildly "But as you can see, she has never come to any harm, she has merely suffered humiliation and my god, she deserved that for years of torturing my ears with her screeching"

"I am going to wake Christine, deliver this letter, then hopefully do what I am here to do, conduct a rehearsal" she sighed "I just wish you would realise that the best way to ensure your safety and for your domain to remain a secret is for you to remain inconspicuous"

"My safety is no longer a priority" He looked through the mirror at Christine who was still peacefully sleeping "She is"

Madame Giry sighed. He really was impossible when he was in these determined, I can do anything moods. He seemed to think that he was infallible and for his sake, she hoped he was right.

"Letting your heart rule your mind is a recipe for disaster" she spoke softly

"Yes, but letting talent like hers go to waste is a tragedy" he frowned "And I won't allow it. One way or another, this company is going to hear the beauty in her voice that I hear"

"I wish for her success as much as you do" Madame Giry nodded "And if you were to achieve it, I would be as happy as you would be. Just be careful"

And with that, she left him and stepped back into the Prima Donna dressing room, slid the mirror shut and walked over to Christine.

"Christine" she nudged her gently

"Angel?" Christine mumbled groggily as she opened her eyes

"You must wake up" Madame Giry spoke sternly "The rehearsal is in one hour and you mustn't be late"

"He…He sang to me" she spoke dreamily "And then I woke up here"

"Yes I can see that" Madame Giry sighed.

She hated the fact that Christine believed that Erik was an angel send by her dead father and didn't want to assist in the deception by entering into and discussions about her 'angel'.

"It was so beautiful" Christine smiled, still sounding as if she was in a trance

Madame Giry banged her cane on the floor, jolting Christine out of her dreamlike trance.

"Christine, you must get yourself back to the dormitories now and get ready for the rehearsal" she spoke sternly

"Yes of course" Christine shook her head to shake away the remnants of that beautiful dream and got up from the chair "Sorry Madame, I will go immediately"


	25. Chapter 25

PART 25 – ACCIDENTAL SEDUCTION

Madame Giry smiled as she watched her obedient beloved Christine leave the room.

"Its endearing isn't it" Erik stepped out from behind the mirror and smiled "She obeys and trusts unquestioningly"

"Erik, she is a human, not an animal you can control" Madame Giry turned to face him "And she trusts you because she believes her dead father sent you. That is what is so wrong about…. About all of this"

"Your negativity is getting really tiresome Annie" Erik rolled his eyes and sighed "Its time you devoted your time to your own emotions rather than worrying for Christine's"

"I have nothing to worry about regarding my emotions" she spoke stiffly

"Really?" Erik walked menacingly towards her "Would you not say that not having any emotions is something to worry about? When have you last felt desire, passion, to want someone or something so badly, it hurts?"

"Oh Erik" Madame Giry laughed bitterly "What knowledge do you really have of any of these emotions?"

"More than you have even dreamt of for years" Erik looked into her eyes and ran his finger down her face "When was the last time you felt sensual chills running down your spine at a mere touch? When was the last time you closed your eyes out of sheer pleasure and satisfaction?"

He moved behind her and sang softly into her ear.

"_Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation"_

As he sang, he ran his fingers up and down her arm, and she gasped and closed her eyes at the pleasure of the feeling of intimacy that had been denied to her for so long. It felt like her mind was floating, far away, to happier times. Times when she had felt the emotions that Erik had spoken of. A million vivid memories were flowing through her mind, numbing her senses to all that surrounded her. Erik's voice became distant, and soon, she wasn't even aware of him standing so close to her, running his hands up her neck and back down her arms.

"_Darkness stirs and wakes imagination"_

He walked around to face her and looked affectionately into her eyes. When he was standing face to face with her, she opened her eyes and the spell instantly starting to break, awakening her to the situation. This felt wrong, so wrong but momentarily, while her eyes had been closed and she had felt herself succumbing to the power of his voice, she could reminisce and feel that it was Philippe caressing her and whispering into her ear.

"_Silently the senses abandon their defences"_

Suddenly, now fully back to her senses, Madame Giry angrily slapped him across the face and moved away from him.

"How dare you?" She seethed

He didn't even flinch at the strike to his face and merely frowned.

"How dare I what? Show you what is missing in your life?"

"You may be able to hypnotise Christine what that voice of yours but don't you dare start using your tricks of seduction on me!" she stepped further away from him, visibly shaken at her momentary loss of control over her mind and body.

"Forgive me Ann, I wasn't trying to hypnotise you or seduce you, not at all" he cursed his insensitivity and sighed "I was merely showing you what you need to regain in your life"

"Like you you mean?" she threw back

"Look at me!" he pointed to his mask "I cannot go out and court, kiss and dance but you can"

"There is only room in my heart for Philippe" she shook her head, her anger rapidly being replaced with a sad longing for her dear husband. "Erik, no other man could take his place and I wouldn't want him to"

"I know" Erik nodded sadly, remembering the day her beloved Philippe had died.

He had been ill for some time, and day by day, Erik had had to watch his dear friend coming to terms with the idea of losing her one true love. Of course, throughout it all, whenever she had come down to see him, she had tried to speak of her husband as little as possible as it had simply hurt her too much to try to convey what she was feeling.

The very same morning that Philippe had died, Erik had awoken to find Ann kneeling by the lake in his lair, not speaking or moving. When he had finally reached her side and joined her kneeling by the lake, it was then that she had given way to the tears, and he had sat there feeling helpless and unsure of what to do. He just sat next to her until she had cried every tear she had left in her eyes and had let the many memories he had shared with Ann flow through his mind as he watched her heart breaking before him.

He could still clearly remember when a teenage Ann Deblois had excitedly been telling him all about the handsome young stagehand and how he had got to hear every detail about their courting and their love for each other. She had even managed to sneak out during her wedding celebrations at the Bistro to come and tell Erik about how wonderful her day had been and how she was so thrilled to be Ann Giry. When Meg had been born, as soon as Ann had got out of hospital, she had fetched little Meg down to the lair for him to see.

It had been so long since he had seen Ann feeling happy and he just wished that she could find some kind of real happiness again, and maybe even find love.

"It angers me so much Annie that you are able to feel and have what I long for so much" he sighed and sat down by the dressing table "And yet you choose not to"

He hated himself right now. As he looked at Madame Giry, still visibly shaken by his 'seduction', he felt like the scum of the earth. At the time, he hadn't seen the harm in acting out the passion she was missing out on, it had seemed like a logical method, to 'whet her appetite for life and love' as it was but as soon as he had seen the look of anger and hurt in her eyes, he realised what a total insensitive bastard he had been.

"I'm sorry Annie"

He got up out of the chair and walked up to her and caught her in a brief embrace. Intimacy greatly unnerved him and to comfort her any more would have made him feel extremely uncomfortable. Genuine Intimacy and affection were emotions that had cruelly been denied to him all his life and they seemed like totally strange and frightening concepts to him.

His affections for Christine had shocked and scared him. Despite his fear of intimacy, he so badly wanted to reach through that mirror and touch her, caress her the way he had just done with Ann.

"Forget about it now" Madame Giry dismissed with her hand, regaining her usual stern composure "Just don't try anything like that again or there won't be an opera ghost to terrorise this place anymore"

A smirk spread across his face as he nodded.

"Anyway, I have a letter to deliver" Madame Giry headed for the door "And then I have a rehearsal to run"

"Take care of my angel won't you" Erik stopped briefly before disappearing back behind the mirror.

"I will" Madame Giry whispered to herself and left the room.


	26. Chapter 26

PART 26 – RETIREMENT

Madame Giry almost felt reluctant to tap on Lefevre's door, knowing that she was bringing him more bad news.

"Come in" she heard his voice beckon and walked in.

As soon as he saw the perplexed look on her face, he rolled his eyes and immediately went to the cabinet where he kept the whisky. Swiftly pouring them both a drink, he looked back at Madame Giry and handed her the glass.

"No thank you monsieur. I do not drink this early, its nine in the morning"

"Very well" he took the glass off her, sat down and took a sip from his own glass "What has the swine done now?"

"Nothing" Madame Giry sighed "At least……not yet"

"More demands?" Lefevre questioned

"Its best if you just read it yourself" she handed him the note with dread, wishing she didn't have to.

Slowly, Lefevre read the note out aloud

"Monsieur Lefevre

I have sent you a note regarding La Carlotta's role in the Opera Populaire and as far as I have observed, you have not taken any steps to comply with my demands. I suggest you rethink before any more accidents occur.

Being vigilant will not help you, only compliance with my instructions will ensure your safety and everyone else's.

I suggest you start searching for the company's hidden talent, which will benefit you and the public who have been forced to endure Carlotta's dreadful voice for way too long now.

O.G."

When he had finished the note, he placed it on the desk and produced a cigar from his drawer. He lit it and a mild smile played on his lips as he started to smoke.

"Has Carlotta seen this?" He knew of the prima donna's temperament and that something like this would have enraged her.

"Yes, I received it just after the meeting yesterday and she forced me to read it out to everybody" A smirk forced its way onto her face "She wasn't amused"

"I bet" Lefevre nodded

"What are we going to do?" Madame Giry questioned, all seriousness returning to the matter "Are you going to comply with his demand?"

"Oh Ann I am getting way too old for this!" he sighed wearily

"Nonsense!" Madame Giry frowned "You have done a fine job of running this opera house"

"I fear for people's lives if I don't comply with the Phantom's demands" Lefevre shook his head "I cannot have that responsibility on my shoulders"

"So you are going to replace Carlotta?" Madame Giry felt a mixture of emotions. Relief that this may soon be over if Erik's instructions were followed and disappointment that Lefevre was giving in so easily, it wasn't in his usual nature to be so weak.

"No, my pride will not allow him to win this final battle" he confirmed "I cannot let him have his own way over this, my pride will not allow it"

"I didn't think it would" she sighed "So what are you going to do?"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing"

Lefevre leaned back in his chair and smoked contentedly on his cigar, the smile returning to his lips.

"Do you remember that night at the Bistro, when you were there celebrating young Christine's birthday?" he spoke excitedly

"Yes Chamleau" she nodded "You were with a beautiful young lady as I recall"

"Yes I was" his smile broadened "Her name is Rose, she comes from England"

"England? How did you meet her?" Ann felt they were drifting from the point but she was curious about the beautiful woman he had seemed so captivated with that night at the Bistro.

"I had been to the Belvedere Opera House a few months ago to watch their production of Carmen" he explained "The Opera House is quite new so I wanted to see it for myself after hearing such marvellous reviews about the place"

His whisky, was moved away, clearly forgotten for the time being as Lefevre excitedly continued his story.

"The opera house was beautiful, it really was Ann but sitting a few seats away from me, I found something more beautiful than anything I had ever seen in my entire life"

"Rose?" Madame Giry smiled

"Yes Rose, my darling sweet Rose" he produced a picture of her from his pocket and smiled proudly "She is most wonderful isn't she"

"She is" Madame Giry couldn't deny as she gazed down upon the smooth, face of his love "But Chamleau, I don't mean to sound……well……erm isn't she a bit….."

"Young?" he finished for her "Yes, she is Ann, she is. Twenty to be exact, twenty years my junior. Do you think I am a fool?"

"No, of course not" Madame Giry handed him back the picture

"She has agreed to marry me" his eyes lit up with glee

"Oh Chamleau I am so pleased for you" Madame Giry clasped her hands together for joy.

She hadn't seen him look so happy for years. The death of his wife had hit him hard and for a while after, he had looked so lost and so sad and Madame Giry had doubted he would ever want to love again. This really was the most splendid news.

"But…" he interrupted "There is a condition"

"Ah" Madame Giry anticipated "What is the condition?"

"I have to move to England" he sighed "Her father was, naturally concerned about his daughter falling in love with someone his own age and wanted to make sure she would be well cared for and looked after"

"You're leaving?" Madame Giry's happiness quickly turned to shock as she let the news sink in

"Yes" he nodded sadly "I feel awfully sad to leave this place but if that is what it takes to prove my sincerity to her father, then that is what I will do"

"Well….." Madame Giry was finding this hard to take. One of her oldest friends, moving overseas "Do you even like England?"

"I love it" he smiled "It is the most beautiful country and I will have my Rose, what more could I want?"

"What are we going to do without you?" she frowned

Madame Giry would really miss Lefevre. After all, it had been he who had made her ballet mistress, all those 15 years ago. He hadn't been the manager of the Opera Populaire very long when he had noticed her helping some of the younger ballerinas practise their dancing and insisted that she be the one to replace the current ballet mistress who was on the verge of retirement. Initially, she had been hesitant, being only 20 herself but the young manager had reassured her with his confidence in her ability. Of course, she had a newborn Meg to look after at that time, but her husband had made sure that she could manage the two with no difficulty.

"I have already found two new managers" Lefevre stumped his cigar out " Monsieur Richard Firmin and Monsieur Giles Andre"

"How long have you been planning this?" Madame Giry felt slightly hurt by the fact that he hadn't confided in her about this

"I have been considering retirement ever since this opera ghost nonsense started but when I met Rose…" he smile "she gave me the courage to finally do it and start a new life"

"I am happy for you, of course I am, but I have to ask…" Madame Giry frowned curiously "What kind of people are you leaving us with? What are these new managers like?"

"Ah" Lefevre smirked knowingly.

He knew that Madame Giry did not tolerate fools easily and that she would instantly disapprove of his selection to take over his reins at the Opera Populaire. As nice and good natured as they seemed to be, they did seem rather clueless. They had just somehow, acquired a vast sum of money in the junk business which had meant they were able to instantly hand over the cash in exchange for the Opera House. They seemed to want good things for the Opera Populaire and Lefevre hadn't questioned them further, he had just wanted to organise a quick takeover so that he could begin his new life, away from the Opera Ghost. Let them deal with it!

"What do you mean by ah?" Madame Giry questioned

"I don't really know much about them but they seem nice enough" he smiled "And I hope I can trust you to help them if they need your assistance at all"

"Of course I will" Madame Giry nodded "If I can"

"This will be my address" he handed a piece of paper over to her and smiled broadly "I strongly advise that you keep in touch Ann"

"I will" Madame Giry smiled and sighed "So when is this all happening?"

"In a few weeks" Lefevre confirmed "I am planning to spend some time there getting to know her family before we start to make proper arrangements for the wedding which of course you will be invited to"

"Thank you Chamleau, if I am able to I will attend" she got up from the chair "But right now I must go or I will be late for the rehearsal and the girls will never let me forget it!"

"Ah yes of course, business as usual" Lefevre chuckled as he watched her leave the office.

She would be one of the things he would miss most about this place but as he looked down and caught sight of the Phantom's note, he realised that there were some things he would not miss at all.


	27. Chapter 27

PART 27 – RUMOURS

"Piangi, I tell you, I 'erd eem saying eet in 'is office just now" Carlotta waved her hands in the air, as if that would prove her story "Ee said ee was retiring"

"Nonsense" Piangi huffed "He would never retire, not until he was incapable of running the place. What did you hear exactly?"

Piangi was used to the many, often untrue, rumours that Carlotta often spread and was always slow to take any of her 'news' seriously.

"I didn't 'ear everything" Carlotta admitted reluctantly "But ee mentioned new managers and that ee was leaving"

Christine watched from the side of the stage as Carlotta animatedly whispered to Piangi, no doubt spreading the latest gossip. She and Meg never paid attention as the diva's gossip was rarely true and even when true was radically distorted.

"There she goes again" Meg rolled her eyes "Wonder who the gossip is about this time"

"I don't know and I don't care" Christine sighed "Probably more rubbish about the Phantom of the Opera"

"Yes probably" Meg nodded "I don't think the Phantom realises that by causing all these accidents to happen to her, he is giving her exactly what she wants. Attention, she loves telling anyone who would listen about how the Phantom is out to get her"

"He didn't cause anything to happen because he does not exist" Christine felt glad as Madame Giry walked onto the stage as now all the daft rumours would stop and the rehearsals would start.

Christine had spent a while talking to her father tonight. For some reason, the day's rehearsal had left her feeling uneasy and sad. She wished her father was there to hold her as she felt there was no-one she could confide in. After all, she couldn't quite put a finger on what was wrong so she could hardly expect Meg to understand.

She slowly got up and embarked on her ritualistic journey to the Prima Donna's dressing room.

She walked in and lit the candle, as usual and looked up into the air. She always did this although she knew not why. She had never seen a glimpse of her angel, no matter how many times she had looked around her.

"Angel?" she whispered.

"I am here my child" her angel's voice reassured her "Now sing my angel"

"Straight away?" Christine gasped, shocked. Usually they always talked or warmed up before he asked her to sing.

"Yes straight away. When you finally do get the chance to sing Carlotta's role, you probably won't have a chance to rehearse it" the Phantom spoke knowingly

Christine didn't wish to question her angel on this point, she felt too weary and disheartened to debate anything.

She took a deep breath and started to sing

"_Think of me, think of me fondly, when we've said goodbye.  
Remember me once in a while, please promise me you'll try.  
When you find that, once again, you long to take your heart back and be free  
if you ever find a moment, spare a thought for…."_

"No! No no no no!" the Phantom frowned in disbelief

Her angel's voice interrupted her song and alerted her attention immediately.

"Whats wrong angel?" she questioned, surprised

"Think of me! You wouldn't be thought of at all singing like that!" he spoke angrily, what was wrong with her tonight.

"I'm s…sorry angel" a tear rolled her face as she bowed her head in disgrace "I am sorry my voice displeases you"

"Christine, what is the matter?" her angel asked, his angry tone making way for his usual caring and loving voice "You sound so listless tonight and your eyes, you look so…so uninspired"

"Its nothing" Christine sighed and wiped away the tear, trying hard to stop any more tears from falling

"My dear angel I know when something is troubling you" he spoke in a tone that soothed her mind and sounded almost melodic.

"Its just….I don't know how to explain" Christine wrapped her arms around herself "Things are happening, changing and I'm not quite sure whats going on"

"Things are happening?" the Phantom wondered what she could possibly mean.

"I am fed up of hearing people bringing up the Phantom of the Opera story" Christine

frowned "Why they haven't let that myth die is beyond me, but they all act as if he is real, as if he has been causing the accidents to Carlotta"

"The Phantom of the Opera?" the Phantom couldn't help a smirk "You don't believe the stories?"

"Of course not" Christine spoke stubbornly "And quite frankly I am fed up of hearing about him"

"Then I won't mention him again" the Phantom breathed a sigh of relief at her complete non belief in the Phantom of the Opera legend

"So what else is troubling you mon ange?" he coaxed "What is happening?"

"I don't know what is happening but people are whispering, there is a certain tension in the air and even Madame Giry looks shaken and upset" Christine murmered "I just feel so uneasy and unsure of what is going on. I feel so lonely angel"

"How could you possibly be lonely?" her angel whispered "I am always with you, have you forgotten the significance of that black ribbon in your hair?"

"No of course not" Christine smiled meekly, remembering his reassurance all those years ago

_Wear the ribbon in your hair so you can feel I am with you as you go about your day._

"I still scatter the rose petals under my pillow too" the smile spread across her face as she thought of her angel and his unfailing love for her

"I know" the Phantom smiled. It had pleased him to watch her still carrying out this ritual with every rose he left her.

"Oh angel whatever would I do without you?" she sighed happily "You always manage to cheer my spirits"

"That is what I am here for" he smiled to himself "And to help you to achieve what your father wished for you"

At the mention of her father, Christine brushed away any remaining tears and stood up straight. He was right, she needed to forget anything else and concentrate on her father's dying wish for her to be a success.

"Yes, I need to practise" she smiled and took a deep breath "Are you ready angel?"

"Always ready to hear you sing my angel" he smiled contentedly as she started to sing.

Her voice was perfect as ever and he couldn't help a tear escape his eye as he thought of the glorious future that lay ahead of Miss Christine Daae.


	28. Chapter 28

PART 28 – NIGHT WANDERING

Christine happily skipped back to the dormitories, thinking of her angel and his promise that she would always have him near. After so many years under his guidance, she now felt that to lose him would feel like losing the air to breathe. She just couldn't imagine how she would cope without his loving guidance.

"Christine"

Meg rounded the corner and stood with her hands on her hips, staring angrily at Christine. Christine couldn't help but chuckle at how much Meg reminded her of her mother at that moment.

"Don't you laugh!" Meg frowned, her delicate petite features looking troubled and confused "I have been looking for you for the past hour. Where have you been?"

"I was praying to my father" Christine's smile faded as she started to feel angry at Meg's inconsiderate intrusion into her thoughts "Why were you looking for me anyway?"

"The chapel is that way" Meg pointed to the opposite direction "And I was looking for you because I was worried about you. You shouldn't wander around here alone, not whilst the Phantom is around"

"I wander around every night and have never had the pleasure of his acquaintance" Christine shrugged and tried to pass her.

Meg's frown deepened as she watched her friend walk slowly away from her.

"You wander around every night?" She gasped "But why?"

"Because it is required of me" Christine spoke impatiently as she walked on "I need to sleep now Meg"

"Christine" Meg pulled her back by her arm and sighed "What is wrong with you? Every now and then you seem so distant and tonight…….well right now there is such a faraway look in your eyes that…"

"I am tired Meg" Christine spoke firmly "That is all"

"And what did you mean by that your nightly wanderings are required?" Meg ignored Christine's protests of tiredness "Required by whom? Mother certainly wouldn't encourage you to stay out of bed and not get any sleep"

"She also wouldn't encourage you to keep seeing Henri Girard behind her back either" Christine threw back, glad to have something to hopefully redirect the conversation.

Meg had been seeing Henri Girard, the man who had shown such interest in her at the bistro 3 months ago, casually ever since that night and had sworn Christine to secrecy, worried that her over protective mother would not approve.

"I knew you weren't listening!" Meg rolled her eyes "I stopped seeing him last week and told you all about it but you had that look in your eyes, the one that you have right now, the look that tells me that you are not entirely with me"

"I'm sorry" Christine rubbed her eyes, vaguely remembering that Meg had spoken of her boredom with Henri Girard "I don't know what's wrong with me lately Meg, my mind is just elsewhere"

"Seriously though, you really shouldn't wander around here alone at night" Meg shuddered "Not with all the accidents that have been happening lately at the hands of the Phantom"

"Oh Meg!" Christine chuckled "There are no phantoms here, we would know if there was. We live here, we would have seen him by now!"

"Buquet knows of two old Opera Populaire workers who have seen him" Meg spoke determinedly "And one of them didn't live to tell the tale"

"And I suppose the other never saw him properly?" Christine guessed cynically

"Well he saw him, but not properly" Meg thought back to Buquet's endless tellings of his former colleague's encounter with the infamous Phantom of the Opera "No-one has ever seen him properly, he wears a mask"

"A mask?" Christine frowned

"Yes, the rumour is that he has severe disfigurement to his face" Meg sighed "And he always wears a mask"

Christine felt a chill run down her spine as Meg spoke of the Opera Ghost although she couldn't imagine why the myth chilled her so much. It was only a story invented by overactive and intoxicated imaginations after all.

"Have you never listened closely to Buquet's stories?" Meg enquired

"No because that's all they are" Christine shrugged "Just stories to scare the young ones"

"Oh lets go back to the dormitories!" Meg glanced anxiously around them "Just talking about the Phantom gives me chills"

"Well please feel free to never speak of him again" Christine rolled her eyes and followed Meg back to the dormitories.

Despite the interruptive conversation with Meg, her angel was still very much in her mind and she smiled as she could clearly hear her voice, entwined with her angel's in her mind.


	29. Chapter 29

**PART 29 – SILENT OBSERVER**

The Phantom watched the rehearsal with a mixture of sadness and disgust. Hannibal was due to be performed for the public in one week and he was itching to jump down onto the stage and organise things as he wished. It all just looked too much, the sets and costumes had way too much detail and as for Carlotta, she looked like a proud peacock with those ridiculous feathers sticking out from her head.

He glanced over to Christine who had just started dancing, her beautiful body gliding elegantly across the stage. He watched in awe as she twirled and skipped, sticking out from all of the other girls with her beauty and vigour. My, he would miss watching her dance when she was a big star.

He edged out a little further so he could get a better glimpse of his angel. He had to be careful as to edge out any further through the tiny secret door above the chandelier would make him instantly noticeable to everyone below and he couldn't get caught now, not when Christine needed him.

A dreamy smile spread across his lips as he continued to watch his angel dance. She really was so captivating, so exquisite. It was beyond belief to him that no-one else in the company had noticed her radiant beauty and talent but he was about to change that. Very soon.

He turned his attention to Carlotta and instantly, the smile dissolved into a frown as he watched her strutting across the stage, the ridiculously big dress trailing around behind her. She looked upon the ballerinas with such distaste, clearly annoyed that Lefevre was currently paying more attention to them than her. Sighing in disapproval, the Phantom closed the door and made his way to the backstage area.

Lefevre walked carefully past the dancing ballerinas and nudged Madame Giry's arm gently.

"You have done such a splendid job with those girls Ann" he smiled proudly "I am so glad I noticed you all those years ago"

"Thank you" Madame Giry blushed "The girls are also very devoted, they strive for perfection as much as I"

Carlotta sighed annoyingly as she watched Madame Giry and Lefevre speaking and looking upon the ballerinas approvingly.

"I want to practise my aria!" she shrieked to gain their attention

"Your aria is the next thing I wish to concentrate on" Lefevre rolled his eyes and sighed "Be patient Signora"

"I 'av been watching these silly girls prancing around for an hour now" she dismissed them with her hand "I am ze star, not them. I am ze important one and I need to practise my aria now!"

"Oh very well" Lefevre admitted defeat and stopped the ballerina rehearsal "Girls, take a break while we practise Elissa's aria"

Carlotta smiled smugly at her triumph and walked offstage to practise her grand entrance. When she re-emerged from the stage side, walking proudly onto the stage, she frowned in horror as the stage erupted into fits of laughter and restrained giggles from the ballerinas.

"Vhat eez eet?" she screamed

She backed away in horror as Piangi ran towards her with a bucket of water.

"Vhat are you doeeeeeng?" she shrieked in terror as he advanced towards her tipping the bucket of water.

"I know you will hate me for this but its either that or lose your hair and I don't think you would like that" he threw the bucket over her, extinguishing the flames that had been billowing from the feathers in her hat.

Carlotta said nothing as she stood there, looking like a drowned rat. The whole stage had now fallen silent, everyone anticipating what the diva would do next.

"Aw!" Carlotta burst into tears of anger and frustration and ran off the stage, Piangi followed suit.

This kind of scene was becoming all too regular at the Opera Populaire and Christine sighed as she could her Carlotta's anguished cries growing more distant.

"Well I think we should err…." Lefevre tried to restore calm on the stage as everyone started frantically speculating of how the diva's hat had caught fire. "We should carry on with the dance rehearsal, we were making such progress"

The girls re-assembled on the stage and resumed their dance as Madame Giry wandered over to Lefevre and whispered

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yes, the Phantom's next step in his plan to drive me insane" he shook his head "What does he want from us Ann? He can't be that desperate to rid the company of Carlotta"

"I don't know" Ann lied casting a glance at Christine, the real reason behind all of this.

"I am not sure how much more of this I could stand" he wiped away the beads of sweat that had gathered on his forehead

"You will be glad to leave here won't you Chamleau"

"I will miss it here, but I will not miss the Phantom and his constant disruptions" Lefevre sighed "Although I am quite glad that you can continue the dance rehearsal, Ann, everyone was making such progress"

"Yes I suppose we should thank him for that one disruption" Madame Giry left his side and skipped alongside the dancers, checking that their every move was perfect.

The Phantom couldn't help but smirk as he watched the Diva run off the stage, soaking wet, with that chubby buffoon Piangi waddling after her. Again, it had been so easy to go unnoticed backstage and carry out his plan. Buquet had been too busy devoting his attention to his whisky bottle as usual. The Phantom blew out the candle as he slipped into box 5 to watch the remainder of the rehearsal and frowned as he noticed Ann and Lefevre whispering to each other. Anxious that Ann was discussing him, he tried without success to lip read what they were saying. No, Ann wouldn't betray him to Lefevre, she knew better than to do that surely. Shaking his head, he headed back to his lair to think about his next step in achieving Christine's triumph.


	30. Chapter 30

**PART 30 – ALTERATIONS**

The Phantom smiled as he continued to work on the dress that would see Christine catapulted to fame and fortune. On the whole, the dress was already glorious, the costume makers at the Opera Populaire had done a wonderful job on it but now of course, it had to be altered. The dress had originally been made to fit Carlotta's colossal form, and would now need to be greatly taken in to cater for Christine's petite figure.

Stepping back, he felt proud to see that the seams were unnoticeable, and he sighed dreamily as he imagined how Christine would look in the dress, what an angel she would

be!

"Perfect!" he congratulated himself on a job well done

"Erik!" a shrill voice shrieked from behind him as Madame Giry emerged through one of the mirrors in his lair.

"Ah!" he smiled ominously "I was expecting you Ann. Sit down and I will get us a drink"

"Damn right you were expecting me" Madame Giry stood with her hands on her hips "What on earth are you playing at?"

"Would you like tea or some of that wine you managed to get me the other week?" he ignored her angry questioning and started walking towards his bedroom.

"Neither, I will not be staying long" Madame Giry sighed "Erik, why did you set fire to Carlotta?"

"Her voice displeases me greatly!" he re-emerged from his room with a bottle of wine and two glasses

"You don't set fire to people!" she spoke exasperatedly "You could have done her serious harm Erik!"

"Oh whats a few burnt hairs to worry about" he poured the wine and sighed "I wouldn't have harmed her Ann, I knew that that idiot boyfriend of hers would have extinguished the fire. I even placed a bucket of water nearby"

"How generous of you" Ann stared at him with a mixture of contempt and disbelief "This has to stop, and it has to stop now!"

"Really?" Erik took a sip of his wine "And why is that? Is Christine singing to an opera house full of admirers? Is she drinking the finest champagne that money could buy?"

Madame Giry didn't answer, for she knew there was nothing she could say that would convince him that he had behaved inappropriately. When it came to Christine, he seemed to lose all aspect of right and wrong.

"No she isn't" he answered his own question and spoke angrily "But soon, I promise she will be and then and not before then, is when this will stop"

"Erik, you are going to badly hurt someone" Madame Giry shook her head, got up and started pacing around anxiously "You don't seem to know what you are doing, what happens if…..?"

"I will do whatever is necessary" he finished off his wine and placed the glass on the floor. "Whatever it may be"

"Erik you seem to be losing all kind of sense of….." Madame Giry stopped as she noticed the dress on the mannequin he had made of Christine.

She had seen the mannequin many times before and each time she looked upon it, she had felt a chill down her spine and a constant uneasiness about Christine's safety. He had spent over a year making it and each detail was so lifelike, so perfect that she was sure that if Christine should see it, she would think she was looking into a mirror.

However this time, it was not the mannequin that caught her eye, it was the dress that was clothing it.

"Erik, they have been looking for this! Hannibal is due to start in a week and the costume makers have been panicking!" she strode up to it and looked at it closely "It looks different, what have you done to it?"

"Taken it in of course" he smiled proudly "It should fit Christine quite nicely"

"This costume is needed in one week" she glared at him "And because of you, we have no costume for Elissa! It is not Christine who needs that costume, it is Carlotta"

"Carlotta will never need that costume" he curled his lip at the mention of her name "You will see"

"Lefevre will not give in" she shook her head

"Maybe not but Carlotta will" he spoke with confidence "She will be too afraid of being humiliated in front of everybody again"

"I cannot let you carry on this ….this ridiculous reign of terror" she spoke exasperatedly "I want to protect you and I don't want you to get caught but I cannot condone you setting fire to people and…."

He couldn't help but let a chuckle escape as he watched Ann chastising him for 'setting fire to people'. It seemed so ridiculous and surreal and he thought he could even see the beginnings of a smirk on Ann's face as she stood there, trying to remain rigid.

She resisted the urge to join him in his mirth and instead glared at him, looking him right in the eye.

"I am being serious Erik" her gaze didn't waver as she continued to stand up to him "Today you are setting people alight and I just dread to think what you are planning for tomorrow. I…"

"Ah, speaking of planning…." the Phantom suddenly stopped laughing and immediately his eyes looked full of accusation and mistrust as he started to pace around her menacingly "… While I was watching the rehearsal, after the… the 'event' with Carlotta, I saw you whispering to Monsieur Lefevre"

"And?" Madame Giry looked straight into his eyes, wondering why he was trying to look at her so threateningly. She didn't feel fear as she refused to let him scare her as he had done with everybody else.

"Now, were you whispering sweet nothings or speaking of what you know of the dreaded Phantom of the Opera?" he stood very close to her and placed his hand on her shoulder

"Don't grip me like that!" she shook his hand off her shoulder and moved away from him "We weren't speaking of anything that concerned you"

"Like hell you weren't" he grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him "Don't lie to me Giry!"

"For christ's sake I am not lying!" she shook him off again, ferociously "If we did speak of you, it was only in passing and I never divulged any information of you"

He frowned, trying to work out if she was telling the truth

"Erik, if I was going to reveal your whereabouts I would have done it when you murdered that poor Opera Populaire worker all those years ago" she spoke angrily

The wild look in her eyes suggested that she was telling the truth but if that was so, then what had she been whispering to Lefevre about. His anger subsided and he smiled as he considered that maybe something was starting to blossom between Ann and the hapless manager.

"So…" he smirked as he moved away from her "you were whispering sweet nothings then"

"Don't be so ridiculous!" Madame Giry folded her arms and sat down by the lake, suddenly feeling sad at the reminder of the imminent departure of her friend.

"Ann, what is wrong?" he sat down next to her and sighed "I'm sorry for suspecting you but, I just saw you talking and thought…"

Yet again, he cursed himself for his stupidity. Ann Giry was his only friend in the world and yet he continued to treat her with suspicion and contempt that she had never merited. He failed to see why she continued to bother with him, but she always did. Right or wrong, she seemed determined to keep him safe despite knowing that he could not ever truly trust in her. He just couldn't.

He felt dismayed as she turned away from him, clearly still angry.

"You think that the world revolves around you" she spoke bitterly "Well you will be surprised to know that there is a world outside of this lair and this opera house!"

"Come on Ann, I said I'm sorry" he frowned, helplessly. He had little experience with women and what experience he did have with Madame Ann Giry had shown him that it was absolutely no use trying to speak to them when they were angry.

"Well don't worry about it, it will not affect you" she sighed

"Ann, you used to tell me everything" he smiled, reminiscing about the needless rubbish a young Ann Deblois had rushed down to his cavern home to tell him over the years.

"You even told me when you had your first corset" he laughed "your first kiss…"

"I know I know!" she interrupted "That was before you turned into this nasty demon, setting fire to people"

"Oh you are so melodramatic, you know I am no nasty demon!" he smirked "There is just something about Carlotta's voice that drives me and many other people I suspect, to distraction"

"Lefevre is leaving the Opera Populaire" she spoke sadly, not wanting to get into the right and wrongs of setting people alight again, in case it drove him to another fit of laughter.

"Why?" The Phantom felt a slight twinge of guilt, hoping that it wasn't him and his notes which had driven the manager to such action. Ann looked quite sad, and he hated to think that he may have been the cause of her sadness.

"Oh don't worry, its not because of you" she spoke sarcastically "Well, not entirely anyway, he is leaving to get married to a girl half his age"

"The devil!" the Phantom chuckled "Well I didn't see that coming"

"He is going in two weeks" she sighed

"And who will be replacing him" he suddenly frowned with concern "And will they be as easy to control as him?"

"I have no idea" she shook her head "he told me very little about them"

"I will have to write some introductory notes" he clasped his hands together and smiled gleefully

"You enjoy this don't you!" she frowned in disbelief

"Sometimes" he agreed "But I do it all for her, whether I enjoy it or not"

"This is not a game for you to win Erik" she stood up and wiped the dust off her dress "When we used to play hide and seek together as kids, that was a game, but not this!"

"I have never treated this as a game" he got up and paced around the lair, deep in thought "Can I help it that I find it amusing to see that smug, talentless, tone deaf, imbecile being humiliated?"

"I am going" she announced and started walking away, unable to listen to his crazed rantings anymore "I have just told you that one of my oldest friends is leaving Paris and all you can think about is music, always music and Christine"

"I'm sorry" he stopped her by gently touching her arm "Christine is my life"

She shook her head frustratedly and turned back towards him

"Erik I will feel so lonely when he goes, he is the only one who seems to notice me here" she sighed "Apart from Meg & Christine of course. It just feels comforting to know that I have a friend my own age to talk to sometimes"

"Annie, you still have me" he spoke softly "Its not as if I am going anywhere"

"I guess not" she smiled slightly "I just wish you could try to…..to make things easier here by letting the Opera Populaire continue as it always has"

"I can't do that" he shook his head sombrely "I promised to help her and I will"

"I know" she sighed "I just wish that you were still the same Erik who used to play hide and seek with me, and giggle at the daft jokes I used to tell you"

They both fell into silence as they both recalled the times when they used to chase each other through the neverending tunnels and dimly lit rooms of the Opera Populaire. Despite his troubled beginnings, the Phantom had managed to put all that behind him for a short while as they had carelessly played childish games.

"Ahhh, that's whats wrong with you" he smiled "You want to play games? I think we are a bit old for hide and seek Annie"

"Oh stop it!" she playfully whacked him on the arm and smiled "This is what I mean Erik, the nice, happy, easy going Erik who I grew up with, I miss him"

His smile faded as he thought of how it had felt to run, to play and to laugh. For those few hours whilst playing games with Ann, he had been able to forget who he was, what he was, the fact that he had murdered someone, and be a normal child. Just for a short while of course, and then, as soon as Ann had left him to rejoin normality above the Opera Populaire, the grim reality of who and what he really was always came crashing back into his mind.

He was a man now, his playing days were over and he had nothing to occupy his mind other than his plan to make Christine successful. It had turned into an obsession, an all consuming obsession which had poisoned his very mind and soul. And yet it was a passion which drove him on, made him think that maybe life wasn't as bad as he had thought and that there actually was a reason for living.

"That Erik has gone" he shrugged "I'm sorry Annie, I guess I changed. So did you"

"Yes I did. Life tends to make you change"

She stopped and smiled as she thought of her dear late husband and how he had changed her, turned her world upside down. Then, when he had died, she had changed again, becoming the stern, sad woman she was today.

"I must go" she turned back towards the open mirror leading to the passageway "the girls may be looking for me"

He returned back to the lake, and sat at the waters edge, his mind descending into a sad abyss of deep thoughts.

He wondered how he would have turned out if things had been different in his life. What kind of man would he be now if his childhood had been a privileged one with a mother, a father and …..love.

The beautiful dress he had been working on caught his eye and he slowly walked up to it and stared wishfully at the alterations he had made. If only he could alter and improve his life as easily as he had altered that dress

He shook his head at the absurdity of his thoughts. What was the point in thinking of the what ifs, the maybes and could've beens. This was the situation he was in and there was nothing that could possibly change the course of his life now.

_Or was there?_

He let go of the fabric of the dress and wandered over to his bed where he sank down and gazed up onto the ceiling of the lair. As he closed his eyes, he allowed himself to succumb to his deepest thoughts and dreams.

_What would Christine see if he was to appear to her and show her his face?_

Would she see reviled, horror known as the Phantom of the Opera or would she see the angel who has been coaching her all these years?

And even if she did fear him at first glance, as many would, could she not learn to love him in time.

A smile edged across his lips as he drifted into a sleep, dreaming of all the things that could never be.


	31. Chapter 31

**PART 31 – UNCERTAINTY**

The Phantom, now fully refreshed after his sleep, paced back and forth behind the dressing room mirror as he excitedly waited for his angel to arrive for her lesson. It wouldn't be long now and she would be here and he would get to hear that wonderful little voice of hers, although he could barely call it little anymore for her voice had grown so much in the past few years that it was bigger than even she herself.

His heart skipped a beat as he saw his angel nervously walk into the room.

"Angel, what is wrong?" he asked softly, noticing her nervous anticipation.

"Carlotta's hair caught fire today" she mumbled hurriedly, as if wanting the conversation to end as quickly as possible.

She started fiddling with her thumb and looked down, knowing that what she was about to say would make her angel very angry. She hated to make him angry for his voice when angry was enough to chill her soul and she couldn't bear to disappoint her angel. After all, he had done so much for her over the years, not only being the angel of music that her father had promised her but oh so much more. A friend, a guardian and an inspiration, he was all these things to her.

"Really?" the Phantom drawled "Are they all blaming it on that mythological Phantom you were speaking of?"

"Yes, they blame everything on him" she shrugged "If someone forgets the song lyrics, it's the Phantom's fault, if someone spills something, it's the Phantom's fault, if someone trips over, it's the Phantom's fault"

"I see" he smirked from behind the glass. From what Christine was saying, it seemed that the Opera Populaire didn't need him to cause accidents, they could quite easily inflict them on themselves"

"And yet…" she uttered throughtfully "…I am starting to wonder myself angel…."

"Surely not" the Phantom felt his heart beat faster, as he tried to think of a way to convince of his non existence "You seemed so sure that it was all nonsense contrived by overactive imaginations"

"Too many accidents" she shook her head "Someone or something must be behind it all"

"If all the accidents seem to be targeted at Carlotta as you say they are, then you don't need to worry" he prayed that he could reassure her, the last thing he needed now was for her to discover that he was the dreaded Phantom of the Opera and to lose all faith in him.

"But you are planning to make me into Carlotta!" she nervously pushed a strand of hair behind her ear "What if he takes a disliking to me being the Prima Donna? What if he inflicts on me what he has on her?"

"Firstly I am NOT making you into Carlotta" he spoke harshly "and secondly, that would never happen, no one could possibly take a disliking to…"

"I can't do it" she shook her head anxiously "I'm sorry angel, I just can't"

"You can Miss Daae" the Phantom urged "The future is looking so good for you, and it all starts here and now"

"No" she turned away and headed for the door "I….I'm sorry"

"Don't you dare!" the Phantom bellowed "Don't you dare give up on me! Not now! Not when we are so close"

"Oh Angel, I can't go through what Carlotta is going through" she pleaded as she stood with her back against the door "Please don't make me go through that"

"Have you ever seen this Phantom?" he took a deep breath and softened his voice, trying to remember that a temper would not do him any good now. He needed to make her feel reassured and calm, not frighten her into submission "Do you even know what he looks like?"

"No I've never seen him but…" she cast her thoughts back to the endless stories told to them all by Buquet "…it is believed that he wears a mask to conceal a hideous disfigurement"

The words 'hideous disfigurement' shot through this heart like a flaming arrow as he desperately tried to think of a way to convince Christine that she had nothing to fear from the notorious Phantom.

"But you have never seen him, so you have no need to worry" he explained gently "As far as you are concerned, he does not exist"

"But…"

"But nothing" he spoke firmly "I will not let you give up on me, never!"

"I…I…" she stammered, frightened by his insistence

"Enough talking, time for singing, we have so much to do" he strived to continue

"Angel, I'm frightened" she whimpered

"Sing" he spoke firmly but quietly

"Angel please…"

"Sing" he hated to see her looking so upset, but he needed to get her to rehearse immediately. They had so little time and he knew that when the moment came, she would not let him down. He wouldn't allow it.

"But what if...?"

"SING!!!!!!" he bellowed, finally losing his patience

Instantly, she sniffed and wiped away a tear and closed her eyes and started to sing. As she did, the Phantom could see her tensed up, stiff shoulders start to relax and second by second, her voice grew in strength and confidence.

Christine closed her eyes, and let herself become totally immersed in the song. As she sang, she was vaguely aware of all that had been troubling her before, simply evaporating away into thin air. It didn't matter anymore, nothing mattered but the encouraging sound of his voice.

"Wonderful!" he smiled contentedly as her voice magically weaved its way around her cadenza "The angels are smiling down on you Christine Daae"

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and stopped, right in the middle of the cadenza and bit her fingernails, deep in troubled thought.

"Why have you stopped?" the Phantom frowned, mildly irritated that the song had been interrupted with her silence.

"I just…." She frowned thoughtfully "I never know how long I should make the cadenza last, I am so worried that I will take too long over it or even worse, disappoint people by making it too short"

"Don't sing with your mind, sing with your heart and soul" he reminded her "You are thinking too much about it"

"So you think I should just…?"

"Just sing it" he smiled "Here and now, sing it for me"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and started from the beginning of the cadenza, starting off quietly.

"More!" his voice seemed to sound from inside her head as she sang a little louder.

"Sing for all the years I have been coaching you" his voice rose as did his excitement at seeing her totally lose her mind and soul in her singing "Sing for your father! Sing for your glorious future my angel of music!"

She sang higher and higher as he encouraged her and felt so giddy with excitement and confidence that she thought she might float off into the air.

As she ended her cadenza, she dizzily stepped back and flopped into a chair.

"My angel that was perfect" he spoke excitedly while trying to sound calm all at the same time.

"I feel so….." Christine struggled to find a word to describe all the physical and emotional things she was feeling right now.

The only feeling she could liken this to was that of love, that childish tickly tummy kind of love that she had felt for Raoul all those years ago. She felt sick, excited and wildly inspired all at once.

"Oh I want to sing it again!" she clasped her hands together in glee

"No not now" he longed to hear her voice of course but it was important that she save her energy for she was very soon going to need it.

"Oh but angel, I feel so alive!" she twirled around happily "Why must we stop now?"

"You need to sleep now" her angel's voice instructed "You need to be prepared for anything that might come your way"

"Like what?" she smiled curiously

"Anything" he spoke teasingly "Just be ready for anything Miss Daae, who knows what will occur, maybe tomorrow, maybe next week but definitely before the debut performance of Hannibal, of that you can be sure"

"But that's in a week!" she spoke excitedly "Are you sure I am ready? And how….?"

"Goodnight angel" she listened as his voice faded away into the night and slowly turned towards the door.

A million exciting and scary thoughts ran through her mind as she turned the doorknob and walked out into the corridor. She stopped for a second as she considered her angel's words. Without looking up, she went to move away, so engrossed with the many questions whirling around her brain, that she didn't even see Emilie before she walked right into her.

"Emilie!" she cried out, startled

Christine inwardly started to panic as she wondered just how long her friend had been there, and just what she had heard. Had she heard all that had just passed between her angel and herself? Had she heard her sing?

"Christine I….I"

Christine's concerns were confirmed in the panic stricken eyes of Emilie, who seemed to be struggling to know what to say.

"Oh Emilie, I am so tired!" she yawned and quickly walked down the corridor towards their dormitories, eager to escape the bombardment of questions that she knew Emilie would want answers to.

"No Christine, please wait, I need to talk to you" Emilie quickened her pace to try and catch up with Christine

"Not now Emilie, I really do need to sleep"

Christine walked hurriedly for the rest of the way to the dormitories and quickly got into bed, pulling the sheets tightly over her head in the hope that Emilie would not attempt to talk to her further. She hated to have to push her friend away like this but she just couldn't deal with this now, especially as she didn't know exactly what Emilie had just heard.

When she finally did enter the room, she made no attempt to walk over the Christine's bed, she simply got into her own bed, across the room from Christine.

"Goodnight Christine"

There was an unmistakable edge of concern in Emilie's voice as she reluctantly sank down into her bed and pulled her sheets up around her, to keep warm.

As time passed by, Christine was relieved to hear Emilie's snoring which confirmed that she clearly wasn't going to trouble her with any more questioning tonight. She snuggled into her bed, getting comfortable and when settled, allowed her mind to drift off into a peaceful sleep in which she dreamt of music, happiness and her angel.


End file.
